


The Rose of Figaro

by asilverflame



Category: Final Fantasy 6, Final Fantasy VI
Genre: F/M, Falling In Love, Family, Family Drama, Healing, Hurt/Comfort, Mother-Daughter Relationship, Other Additional Tags to Be Added
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-10
Updated: 2020-06-18
Packaged: 2020-10-13 16:41:00
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 38
Words: 91,253
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20585678
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/asilverflame/pseuds/asilverflame
Summary: Post game. Terra struggles with her children and her loneliness. Edgar bears the burden of being King. Celes and Locke build a life together and Relm grows up. Cyan serves Edgar as a knight.





	1. Welcome Readers!

I know some of you who will read this first are actually following me from my Undertale fanfics. Let me say that even though this is not an Undertale fic, please give this a read anyway. Final Fantasy VI put a mark on Undertale the same as Earthbound did. (Flowey was heavily influenced by Kefka. Mettaton’s opera scene is a parody of the opera scene from ffvi) 

In some ways, this is returning to my fanfiction roots. I started writing parts of this story before I even knew what fanfiction was.(No I have never put them on any internet boards. I handwrote them in a spiral notebook.) I just knew that there were parts of the end of FFVI I didn’t necessarily agree with. (Terra going home to her kids? Alone? What about Edgar? What about Cyan and the dead kingdom of Doma?) Keep in mind I was nineteen when I first played the game on my SNES (Woolsey translation) when it was still called Final Fantasy III. Raising kids was the last thing on my mind. It felt unsatisfactory to my nineteen year old mind. Still. After all these years I still feel that not one Final Fantasy game has been as impactful since. Not even FFVII. Kefka is still the best villain I have ever seen in a RPG. (although it would be interesting to see Kefka fight Flowey, since they are equally sociopathic)

So here comes the question, Why now? Why are you finally writing out something you started as a teen. Because the time is right. I recently started a playthrough of FFVI and this story started to nag me again. I WANTED to finally finish this.


	2. Dead Gardens

Terra Branford wrinkled her nose at the poor shoots of vegetables in the pathetic garden. Six months of work, a ton of of advice from expert gardeners and nothing had worked to try to balance the soil properties here in Mobliz. When Terra had come home from defeating Kefka Palazzo at the start of those six months, she had devoted all her spare time, after taking care of her orphans, to this garden. After all, Winter would one day be here and Terra hated asking King Edgar of Figaro for any more help than he had already given her and the orphans of Mobliz. Terra had found that trying to work the garden and feeling the earth beneath her fingers helped her mentally as she adjusted to a world without magic in it anymore. 

Terra’s eyes began to tear up. She then shook her head. No. She would not give into despair. The world was still healing after the Cataclysm. It would take more than one adult, two almost adults, and a dozen children of various ages to heal the little village. Still, all Terra wanted to do was heal enough of the earth to grow a garden for winter vegetables. 

There was a rumble in the distance. Terra turned and saw a thundercloud approaching the village. Dammit. She only hoped that her current “roof” was good enough to keep out the rain. It wasn’t last time. Edgar had sent a couple of workmen to patch it as best they could. Terra walked back to her basement home that was just barely large enough to fit her family of orphans. For now, they had enough to eat. But everyone also understood while there might be enough, there was not enough for extras.

Terra’s brow furrowed in worry. Their meager food supplies would not last for much longer. Maybe she should write Celes and ask her advice? They had grown pretty close after the fall of Kefka as they both learned to adjust to a world without magic. That adjustment had been far easier on Locke, Edgar, and Sabin. While they had all learned to use magicite and the Espers contained within it, magic was not written into their very essence the way it was for Terra, Celes, Strago and Relm. Strago had correctly stated that it was like reaching for a favorite tool that was lost. They had found that they had MISSED that tool. A part of themselves, gone forever.

Terra noticed that all of the children who had been playing out in the empty streets of Mobliz, had all returned home at the sound of the approaching thunderstorm. Katarin had made the large family a pot of soup from the canned goods that Edgar transported monthly. It would at least be hot and fill their bellies. 

After dinner, Terra pulled out a large storybook that had been a gift from Edgar with his last shipment of goods. She sat on the floor in the middle of the children and began read to them a bedtime story.

Figaro Castle

King Edgar stared out his study’s window into the desert pensively. As soon as he had returned to Figaro Castle, he had been bombarded the past six months with official requests and ambassadors from towns and villages all over this continent. Some were asking for simple enough needs. Clothing, shoes, and the like while they rebuilt their towns. 

A couple had been formal requests to join the Kingdom of Figaro. The Empire had been ruthless in killing anyone who knew anything about running a town or village. Many Kingdoms had fallen because of that. Doma had been so thoroughly decimated by the Imperial army and Kefka’s poison, that they had been among the first to petition for Edgar to become their new King. After all, Edgar was a hero in addition to being a King. Edgar had refused to let the Empire topple his Kingdom. The people of Doma needed his strength. Edgar had pointed out that Cyan was a much of a hero as he. Cyan had stated flatly that he was no King, but would be proud to call Edgar his new Liege-Lord and King.

Yes, Edgar thought, I’m the King. So what do I do about known traitors? After seeing so much bloodshed, Edgar was reluctant to spill more blood. Even the blood of a traitor. No one trusted the Davidson family anymore after they had betrayed them to the Empire. Many in South Figaro wanted Sam beheaded for treason. Edgar couldn’t blame them either. No one wanted a traitor to live among them. Sure, right now, the world was at peace as they rebuilt. One day though, Edgar knew that war drums would once again beat. If Sam Davidson were still here he could once again betray his country, city, or, blast it all, people. All for money. Edgar wasn’t worried so much about betraying the country part. Countries just happen to be agreed upon political borders. But betraying his town and the people he saw and worked with everyday was truly unforgivable. At least, in Edgar’s opinion.

Edgar’s face softened. Then there was Terra. She had gone back to the near empty village of Mobliz, wanting nothing more that to raise its orphans in peace. Terra didn’t know it, but Gau had returned to the wilds of the Veldt. Gau kept an eye on Terra and her orphans and sent back reports of how they were prospering to Edgar. He also told Edgar the things that Terra didn’t want Edgar to know. He had received a carrier pigeon that afternoon about Terra’s dying gardens. Terra had received letters and advice from every expert that Edgar could think of to try to revitalize enough land for a garden. Gau’s reports told Edgar of that failure.

There was a knock on the door.

“Your Majesty, Prince Sabin to see you right away,” said a servant.

“Send him in. Also, send us a pot of his favorite tea and cakes, while you are at it, please,” replied Edgar.

The servant bowed, “Yes, your Majesty.” 

The formalities of being King had also taken some time to get used to again. He missed the freedom of being able to travel on his own. In times of peace, as King, his travel had been restricted. Sometimes, their old friend Setzer would come on his airship and sneak Edgar away from those petty formalities for a few hours. Mostly to gamble and relax. Occasionally they went to the Opera House In Jidoor to watch the famed opera singer Maria debut a new opera. Edgar had been glad for the distraction. Sometimes he felt he would do anything to get away from the clerks with mountains of papers to be read and signed. 

“Your Majesty, Prince Sabin,” the servant announced. 

Sabin scowled at being called Prince. While he might have traded being a co-ruler with Edgar for his freedom, he had not been able to fully escape his title of Prince. After years of an ascetic lifestyle he hated the formalities and extravagances of such a title. Still, outside of Figaro Castle, most common folks only saw Sabin. Not His Royal Highness, Prince Sabin Rene Figaro.

It allowed him to travel as an anonymous observer for his twin brother. Sabin knew that while Edgar might prefer to make observations on how the world had been recovering from both the Empire and Kefka, he was tied to the throne. Edgar trusted Sabin to be able to make those observations and report back to him every once in a while. The few people outside of Figaro Castle who knew Sabin was the King’s twin brother could and would report directly to the King. It allowed for important matters to be in the King’s hands in a matter of hours instead of wading through the formalities and functionaries of the Court. 

It had been Sabin who had reported the growing unrest of South Figaro. Sabin had warned Edgar that if he did not find a way to deal with the Davidson’s soon, there may well be a lynching in South Figaro. 

Edgar smiled and stood up to greet his younger twin. They shared the exact same bright blond hair and deep blue eyes. Edgar’s hair was longer and held back with scarves and ribbons. Sabin’s was shorter and held back with a simple leather thong. Edgar was leaner, Sabin was more musclebound after years of martial arts training. After a fierce handshake and an embrace, the twins sat down and began to talk.

“How goes the King business, Edgar,” asked Sabin. 

“These days, all I ever get to see much of are piles of papers,” replied Edgar. 

“What about the Davidson matter?”

“I’m still thinking about it. I am hoping to find a solution that doesn’t shed more blood. I have seen enough of that for the next two lifetimes,” Edgar sighed. 

“You’re going to have to resolve that soon. That jackass is talking about running for mayor. No one wants him because of the Empire debacle. The talk is getting ugly. There he is with all his blood soaked money, and he does little to help the people of South Figaro.”

“But it is very hard to make a man disappear without killing him.”

“Hmmm...” said Sabin. “I wish Locke were here. He thinks better than I do. Where is he by the way?”

“Kohlingen. He has been my eyes and ears to the north and west parts of the realm. He gets good information from Jidoor all the way to Zozo. Celes has made herself indispensable getting Kohlingen and its vicinity getting re-built,” answered Edgar. “I don’t think it will be too long before they get married.”

“How about yourself, Edgar? Has a marriage been arranged for you, yet? Are you still keeping the company of all the chambermaids of Figaro Castle,” asked Sabin slyly. 

“The chancellor and I have an agreement that if I cannot find a love-match by the age of forty, then he can look for suitable brides. Until then, I’m still searching. Not the way I used to either. It’s just… It’s silly, but there is one girl I have had my eyes on for a while.”

“She won’t leave Mobliz. Not without the children,” commented Sabin.

“None of them are prospering there. Except Gau. Then again, he thrives on the wilds of the Veldt. Terra can’t even get a garden to grow over there.”

“Do you know why that is?”

“Besides the Cataclysm, no. I would have to send teams of experts to study the problem firsthand. I can’t afford to do that right now. Not for only a few adults and a dozen or so children. All my experts are out and getting larger farms and forests healing. They need to keep the supplies of grains and straw for livestock healthy to eat, otherwise we will all starve.”

“Have you considered convincing Terra to move here to Figaro? I know she loves the peace and tranquility of Mobliz. But she is vulnerable there. She won’t get much peace if there are hungry children,” Sabin’s eyes crinkled teasingly, “Besides it will be much easier for you to convince her to marry you if she is here and not the other side of the planet.”

Edgar rolled his eyes in mock disgust at his brother. Then his eyes became thoughtful. 

“You know something, Sabin. I think you might have just given me an answer to two problems.”

Sabin looked confused, “Huh? What answers?”

Edgar’s smile became devilish. “I’ll just show you.”

After a few hours of arguing and Edgar ultimately winning about appearances. A Royal messenger had been sent to South Figaro directly to the Davidson house. Sam Davidson had been avoiding any sort of direct contact with the King since the Cataclysm. He even avoided Sabin knowing that Sabin would directly report to Edgar. Sam had hoped that by lying low, the King would forget about his indiscretions. With a Royal Messenger being at his door, he knew that it had been a futile hope.

Sam read the missive and sighed. 

“Tell his Majesty, I will be there shortly.”

“I am to escort you to Figaro Castle,” replied the messenger. 

Sam nodded. He could have guessed that.

Sam retreated to his bedroom and changed in formal court gear. His wife, Suzanne, wringed her hands together in worry at what was about to happen next. She had heard the rumors from the other villagers. Suzanne had been trying to convince Sam for months that they should perhaps leave Figaro and move to Jidoor or some other town that didn’t know of Sam’s treason. Now Sam ran the risk of a very public trial with a real possibility of execution. 

Suzanne knew that there could be no talking to Sam, sometimes. When the Imperial army had first approached Sam all he could think about was the money they offered him. She had fought with him for hours against it. This was their home. Edgar was a good king. They had plenty of money owning several ships that transported goods across the world. They didn’t need Imperial money. Sam’s greed got the best of him. Suzanne had been considering leaving him and begging the king for Sam’s wealth for their children. She prayed that even if Sam was executed, that Edgar would be merciful on the rest of the family. 

Suzanne began to draw up a list of things needed to move to Jidoor. Even if Sam never returned, she would do what she could and move to Jidoor. With or without Sam.

When Sam and the Royal messenger were on the outskirts of South Figaro, they were met by the King’s personal guard, Cyan Garamonde. Sam got the message. There was to be no escape. He was a glorified clerk, he had no chance against Cyan. The Doman knight was fiercely loyal to Edgar. No amount of money could convince him to let Sam go. Sam had seen the knight once before, when Doma ceded it’s autonomy to Figaro. In a highly nuanced and formal treaty signing, they had all seen Cyan pledge himself to Edgar as his liege-lord. He had been introduced to Cyan as part of the banquet after the ceremony. Cyan had been polite and highly formal on the surface, but Sam could see the contempt behind Cyan’s eyes. 

Cyan also had three chocobos waiting. They got on the chocobos and rode to Figaro castle to decide Sam’s fate. 

Kohlingen

Locke and Celes were eating their evening dinner when a carrier pigeon arrived. They could tell from the banding on its left foot it was from Terra. Terra and Celes had been trading letters and news on a weekly basis for the past six months. Terra would send pictures from her children and ask questions about the rest of their friends since almost all of them talked to Celes and Locke regularly. Celes frequently passed on to Edgar news about Terra. Terra wrote to Edgar weekly as well, but she would leave things out that were sometimes important. Terra felt she owed Edgar too much, even though Edgar would give her more with only a word. Terra would only accept any donated clothing and shoes for her children, although Edgar had told her repeatedly that all she had to do was ask and he would get it for her. 

Celes sighed. The only reason Edgar listened to Terra’s request at all was when she had pointed out that Terra was trying to find independence. Terra didn’t want to depend on Edgar. Edgar had scoffed and said independence would be better found in Figaro not Mobliz. Mobliz had been utterly decimated by the Cataclysm. It had become totally isolated. There was no easy way to get basic supplies in such an isolated place without depending on others. Celes agreed with him but also reminded Edgar that isolation was a good thing for Terra right now. She was born a half-esper. Magic was infused in her body and soul since the day she was born. Isolation help Terra cope with that loss until she was ready for more people. 

The compromise was for donated clothing and shoes that other children had outgrown. Terra would accept the canned and preserved foods that Edgar sent without a qualm, but she only allowed for donated clothes and shoes for the children. Even then Terra still thought that what Edgar had given was too much, even if it was mostly donated things that villagers in both South Figaro and Kohlingen gave for the orphans. 

It still upset Edgar. He felt that Terra had sacrificed so much for others, the things she asked for were nothing as to what she was owed herself. That was why he sent gardening books, advice from expert gardeners, seeds, gardening tools, trying to help her as much as she would permit him.

“New letter from Terra,” commented Locke, ruffling his brown hair. 

Celes smiled at Locke, “So I see.”

“Next time Setzer is around, we should ask him to take us to visit Terra. I get the feeling that while she is telling you some things, there is a lot she just isn’t saying,” Locke said softly. 

“Funny. I was thinking something similar about how Terra doesn’t tell Edgar all he wants to know.”

“I know she doesn’t want to bother anyone, but this is getting a little ridiculous. She could get sick and die and we would only find out by those stupid pigeons. The same could happen to any of her tykes.”

“We should contact Edgar. He is the one Setzer sees the most. I’d imagine that we would see Setzer in a matter of days if we write Edgar,” replied Celes.

“If we tell Edgar we want to see Terra, Edgar or Sabin would be on that airship with Setzer. I know Edgar wants an honest report of what is going on with Terra,” said Locke. 

“I think Gau went back to the Veldt for that purpose. Edgar likes to see things for himself though. If we ask for Setzer to see Terra, it gives him the excuse he needs to go.”

Locke stood up and grabbed a piece of messenger paper. “I’ll write something up to that effect,” was all he said.


	3. A Royal Judgment

Figaro Castle

When Edgar woke up the next morning there was a carrier pigeon on his windowsill. Its left leg was banded in the colors for Locke and Celes. Edgar got out of his bed and untied the message for the carrier pigeon. He read the request for Setzer and his airship for a visit with Terra. Edgar frowned. He knew that Terra wrote to Celes the most. That had hurt some. He knew that Terra didn’t want to bother him, but the letters she had given him were always the highlight of his days.

Tagging along to go visit Terra would be welcome. Edgar knew most of their friends didn't like the idea of Terra living alone with her orphans. Strago and Relm had thought that she might be best off living with a whole village of people who had the exact same problem Terra did. Their village were the remnants of the original Mage-Knights. They were born with magic the same as Terra, although not as powerfully. They were all learning how to live mundanely the same as Terra. 

Edgar sighed. He felt it was up to him to get Terra out of Mobliz. 

Edgar’s man servants walked into his room and seeing he was awake began to prepare Edgar for that days audience. When it was finished, he was going to handle the Davidson matter more privately. He knew Terra had enough food for at least a week. Setzer was due to arrive at the castle in two days. They would all go visit Terra afterwards. 

Sabin was grumbling as the castle’s tailors sized up proper clothing for him. Edgar wanted Sabin to look the part of a royal prince when they handled Sam Davidson. He had been a scrawny kid when he had fled the castle, so none of the clothes in his room here in the castle fit him anymore. Right now he was being sized in plain clothes of a fine weave. The tailors would have full court regalia ready in a few days. The tailor thought the court gear was still hopelessly plain. Still, he had mumbled, At least Prince Sabin would not embarrass King Edgar being seen in it.

Sabin hated every moment of the fitting. He disliked the extravagant clothing that was common to wear in court. 

It could be worse, he thought. He could have been co-ruler with Edgar and be forced to wear even the more extravagant clothing that Edgar had to wear for audiences. He kept his mouth mostly silent as the tailor got him ready for the meeting with Sam Davidson. Cyan was also going to be there in his formal Court armor. There was to be no mistake that Davidson could well be tried for treason.

When Sam Davidson and Cyan arrived at Figaro castle, he was taken to an antechamber to await the King. There were two castle guards watching over him as he waited for the King. Sam sat nervously as he waited. Morning passed into the afternoon as he waited.

The door opened. Cyan was wearing the full formal plate armor of Doman knights. It was even more frightening in appearance than the plate armor that knights of Figaro had to wear. The plates were layered on top of his arms and legs to allow him greater freedom of motion that regular plate. The helmet completely covered his face so that all could be seen was the eyes. The were metal protrusions on the helmet that gave the appearance of great horns. There was also a colorfully embroidered sash that tied Cyan’s katana to it as well as a wakizashi and dagger.

Sam Davidson began to tremble in fear.

“His majesty is ready to see you now,” said Cyan formally. 

They passed through the throne room on their way to another antechamber. 

Cyan opened the door and gestured for Sam to enter. 

King Edgar sat behind a desk with several papers in front of him. His face was a still mask as Sam entered the room. Prince Sabin stood behind and to the right of King Edgar. He was dressed in plainer blue clothing that Edgar, but wore a simple gold circlet at his brow marking that he was still a Prince. His face was not the mask that Edgar wore but was stern in appearance. 

“So,” was all Edgar said. 

“You’re Majesty?” replied Sam.

“What am I to do with a traitor?” asked Edgar.

“Do you have any proof…”

“Silence!” King Edgar hissed. 

Sam’s eyes widened as he closed his mouth.

“I have reports from both Locke Cole as well as former General Celes Chere that it was you who sold South Figaro to the Gestahlian Empire. I myself was also in South Figaro when I heard the rumors of a betrayal.”

“I had been in South Figaro not long after it fell to the Empire,” said Sabin. “The talk of the villagers all said it was you who had sold them out.”

Sam was silent. 

“Why?” was Edgar’s soft question. “Has Figaro wronged you in some way to make you feel like the Empire was a better option? Did you want my throne? Why?”

Sam’s eyes filled with tears. “No, my King. It was none of those reasons.”

Edgar’s blue eyes were frosty. “Then why?”

“For money. What was there to be gained by refusing? The rumors about the decimation of the southern countries by the Empire was enough that when they offered me money, myself and my family could go somewhere else.”

Edgar’s voice became harsh. “What about the innocents in South Figaro? The ones who would not be able to go and rebuild their lives elsewhere. What about them? All innocent people. People you had lived with and worked with every day. Do you have no loyalty to at least them? What about the people who worked for you? Do you have no loyalty to them?”

Sam began to cry as he fell to his knees in front of his King. All he could do now was beg for mercy. 

“Mercy, my King! Mercy!”

“What about the people who died in the Light of Judgment? Did they not also deserve mercy?” Edgar’s voice was relentless. 

Sam’s cries had become pitiful.

“For now I will place you in the prisons here in Figaro Castle. I will have decided your fate the next time I call you here. Cyan! Place this prisoner in the jails in the basement.” 

After Sam had been dragged to the prison, Edgar sighed as Sabin took the seat in front of him.

“That was brutal, bro,” said Sabin.

“Do you really think so?” asked Edgar.

Sabin looked at his twins face. Edgar looked tired and weary. He then realized how hard it was on Edgar to appear so aloof.

“No. Not really. What are you going to do with him, though?”

“Exile. I can’t say for sure if he truly regrets what he has done. I do know that I don’t want bloodshed. If he stays here, his blood will be spilled by the people he betrayed. But, he also cannot walk away Scot-free. I think exile will be best. If he leaves quietly, he can keep his money and go wherever he chooses that is not in my kingdom. If he doesn’t keep quiet, I will take all of his money and give it all away to charity. He will then go where I choose for him to go. His house here though, becomes property of the Crown no matter what he chooses.”

“What are you going to do with that big a house?”

Edgar smiled. “I know a lady who takes care of a dozen or so orphans that could use it. No matter what she says, that basement of hers is awfully cramped.”

Sabin smiled, “Yeah it is. You’ve learned a lot about being King since I left. When he started to cry I would not have been able to keep it together like that.”

“You never were good at hiding your feelings, Sabin. I’ve had years of practice, even before I became King.”

“Let’s go talk to the engineer, Sabin. I want to talk to Locke and Celes at dinner tonight.”

That night Locke and Celes were Edgar’s guests at a private dinner he held within his castle. They were all talking about Terra.

“The problem is that how are we going to convince her to take over that house,” asked Celes. “She already thinks you give her too much.”

“Winter is coming though. I got a report from Gau about how the gardens she has been trying to grow for food have failed. He also sent a report about the beasts in the Veldt are sickening. That means disease. I need everyone’s help to getting Terra to see that even if they manage to get enough food for the winter, illness will come. With no access to doctors, and only a few basic herb remedies, her orphans could easily die from disease. Hell, even broken bones from an accident can be lethal without proper care.”

Celes smiled at Edgar, “You really have thought about this haven’t you, Edgar. I was afraid this might be a ploy for you to try to seduce her. I overheard the chambermaids talking about how you don’t give them the time of day anymore. They all complained that even at your busiest before the Cataclysm you would at least make time to flirt with them.”

Edgar smiled thinly at Celes. His reputation as a ladies man and notorious flirt was biting him in the ass again. 

“While I definitely prefer the company of women to men I have been much too busy to look for bedsport,” replied Edgar. 

“Maybe you’re growing up,” said Locke.

“That could also be true,” admitted Edgar.

“I need to get the castle back to Figaro desert. Are you two going to grab a few things for a few days?”

“Give us about an hour and we can grab stuff for a week. If you want us to be sitting at formal Court functions in that time, I think the court gear we used last time is still in our closet here,” replied Celes.

“Just one piece of business. I want Sam Davidson to see you when I sentence him. I want it to be absolutely clear who told me of his treason.”

“Bastard,” was all Locke said. 

The next morning Locke, Celes, Sabin and Edgar were waiting in the same room Edgar had used to question Sam Davidson. Celes’ ice blonde hair and even icier blue eyes were perfectly groomed. Celes was wearing formal chain mail as well as a cape to mark that she was now an officer in Edgar’s army. After the fall of Kefka, Celes’ military training made her invaluable to Edgar. She executed Edgar’s orders with the precision of a general. Celes loved serving Edgar because he had no problems if she ever questioned an order he gave her. If she didn’t agree they would talk things through. Edgar had found that Celes frequently had better ideas and could improve plans. If she thought that something was a bad idea, it was always worth listening to why she thought so.

Locke had no official job with Edgar. His nondescript appearance and skills as a thief made him a perfect spy. He would sneak into towns and villages quietly and report to Edgar the news and rumors he found. If he found something worth stealing, well… the less said the better. Celes would just caution him not to get caught. Locke found the rumors that the wealthy as well as surviving members of the former Gestahlian Empire would prefer stayed hidden. Most former members of the Imperial army just wanted to live a quiet life these days. Some would toast the late General Leo and then curse Kefka in the same breath. Locke also kept track of one or two former officers who sometimes dreamed of a return of the Empire. Locke considered them mostly harmless. They were too busy killing themselves slowly with strong drink. 

Sabin was once again in the more formal clothing that he had worn the day before. It surprised both Locke and Celes to see him dressed as a Prince. Sabin made it clear he disliked formalities, but after the fall of Kefka he had promised to help his brother as best he could. Right now, that meant looking the part of a Prince. 

When Cyan had brought Sam Davidson to the room they were not surprised by his appearance. His face was tear stained and haggard. His chained arms and legs failed him as he was pushed into the room. He knelt in front of his King and once gain began to cry. 

Edgar’s face was once again a mask to hide his feelings.

King Edgar spoke.

“My advisers, what do you think should be done with this cretin?”

“Exile,” said Celes loudly and clearly. 

“Exile,” said Sabin. 

“Exile,” replied Locke. “Death is too good for someone such as he.”

“Agreed,” came the voice of Cyan. “Let his blood not be shed by ourselves, my King.”

Edgar nodded. 

“Very well. Exile it is. Rise Samuel Davidson,” Edgar commanded. 

Sam rose to his feet. 

“You are sentenced to Exile from Figaro forever more. The Crown seizes your estate in South Figaro as well as one half of all your monies. If you leave quietly, you may keep the remaining half of your monies as well as what other property that is in your home as well and may go where you wish, outside my Kingdom. If you in any way claim that I am being unjust, then I shall seize all of your monies and property within that estate as I exile you to wherever I choose to send you to. You have only one week to leave. I shall have a ship at you and your families disposal in the harbor to begin your exile. Also, one of the royal clerks shall go over your books to ensure that your monies are distributed according to this guideline. Guards are to watch you in the event you try to leave without paying what is owed to the Crown. They are also going to be looking for any hidden caches of money you may be trying to hide. If you decide to commit suicide this agreement becomes null and void and all property is immediately seized by the throne.” 

Sam Davidson fell to his knees as he thanked King Edgar for his mercy. 

“Cyan,” ordered King Edgar. “Please place Mr Davidson back into the prisons for the moment. We shall release him when we are ready to escort him back to South Figaro.”

Two hours, later Sam Davidson found himself loosely tied onto the back of a chocobo. King Edgar rode out front of the party as Cyan rode immediately behind him and Celes and Locke were to his immediate right and left respectively. There were four Guards as well as a couple of Royal Clerks who followed their King and the rest of the party. Sabin had gone ahead of them to give the official proclamation to the citizenry of South Figaro of Sam Davidson’s sentence. 

After the official reading to citizenry of South Figaro, Sabin then went to take the proclamation to Sam’s wife, Suzanne. 

Suzanne was grateful that King Edgar was being as merciful as he was. Half of their money was still quite a sizable amount. With that much they could go to Albrook on the southern continent and live life with their family quietly. Suzanne had almost expected Sam to have been beheaded for his treason. After the Crown seized the entire estate she expected to forced out as a beggar with her children. Suzanne knew that after Sam had been taken to be questioned by the King, the city Guards had all been watching her expecting her to flee with her children. 

During the past day and a half, she decided Jidoor was just a little to close to Figaro. Albrook was far enough away for the quiet, unassuming life she now planned to live. They were even going to able to take a their family heirlooms. It was more than she would ever have expected from King Edgar.

There was a knock on the door.

King Edgar stood resplendent as his full role as the King of Figaro. Suzanne was unsurprised. She backed away from the door and curtseyed deeply to her King. After he had entered Sam was escorted inside. He looked tired and a little haggard but otherwise looked well cared for. Edgar was not a cruel King. Suzanne suspected that Sam had been unable to sleep in anticipation of his sentencing.

The ropes that had restrained Sam were cut. He kneeled in front of his King and began to babble thanks for his mercy. 

“Mrs. Davidson I wish to speak to you privately. If you can get a couple of your servants to care for your husband while we do so?” suggested Edgar.

Suzanne bobbed another curtsy “Of course, your Majesty.”

Suzanne pulled on a bell and gave the summoned servant quick orders about baths food and rest for Sam. As soon as Edgar left she would check on him.

She lead them to a study. 

“Mrs. Davidson, I want you to know that I in no way blame you for your husband’s treason,” Edgar said softly. 

Suzanne’s eyes filled with tears. “Thank you, your Majesty. I want you to know I tried! I tried to get him to listen to reason. What he did was terrible! I can’t even look into the eyes of the villagers anymore in shame for my husband.”

Edgar nodded. “Celes Chere has told me as much. She also mentioned your kindness to her after the Empire took her prisoner. Your personal loyalty and your kindness to Celes is why I am allowing for you to take half of your monies and your household things. If you had come to me seeking a divorce, I would have allowed for it, with the same divisions. For you, I am not turning your children into beggars. I am making it known to the villagers that the treason had been contained to Sam alone. That way, as you gather what you need to leave, you don’t have to worry of recrimination from the townsfolk. Sabin right now is speaking to the villagers, as we speak. I am only exiling your husband. If at some time in the future either you or your children wish to return to Figaro, that’s fine.”

“My King, I don’t have the words to express my thanks for your kindness.”

Edgar shook his head. “No thanks are required. Thank YOU for being loyal. Now as far as the guards and the clerks go, they are here to make sure the divisions of property are fair. The Seabreeze is ready to assist you as you pack your things. Just send word, and a few strong sailors will help you move things.”


	4. Rose

Mobliz 

After three days of confinement, the stresses of being in a small confined space began to wear on Terra and the children. The squabbling began after one of the boys, who was bored, took away the only doll the youngest, who was only four, owned.

“GIVE ME BACK LINA!!” screamed a little girl.

“Make me!” yelled the boy, Owen. Owen was eight. He wasn’t a cruel child, but he loved to tease the younger ones, especially the youngest, whose name was Rose.

Terra sometimes marveled at Rose’s bravery. Terra wasn’t certain that Rose was afraid of anything. When Phunbaba attacked that last time, even though she was only three, it had taken everything Katarin had to keep little Rosie running after it with only a stick in her hands. Duane had laughed and said there was no stopping the little red haired girl when her temper got the best of her. There were daggers in the eyes of Katarin when she looked at him. 

The red headed child’s deep blue eyes went frosty. Out of nowhere Rose launched herself at Owen, screaming at the top of her lungs about giving her dolly back. She attacked with a flurry of kicking feet and elbows. Rose latched onto her doll and suddenly bit Owen’s hand. 

Owen screamed in pain. 

“GIVE ME BACK LINA!!!” howled Rose. 

Terra desperately tried to break up the fight. Pulling Rose away from Owen, she struggled with the child as she continued to scream for the return of her doll. Rose continued to kick and flail her arms as she screamed for her toy.

Suddenly, a deep masculine voice cut into the room. 

“BY ORDER OF THE KING OF FIGARO, STOP THIS FIGHTING AT ONCE!!”

“GIVE ME BACK...”

“AT ONCE!!!!” The voice thundered over Rosie. Suddenly, Rose became quiet. The command in the voice was unmistakable. This voice gave commands and expected them to be carried out.

A tall man with long blond hair strode into the center of the room. Rose had seen him a couple of times. Mama always made her address him as Mr Figaro, although she called him Edgar. He was dressed plainly in a linen shirt and worn blue pants. His long blond hair always fascinated Rose. It was always tied with ribbons and scarves and was even longer that Mama’s mint green hair.

“Duane! Katarin! What the devil is going on here?” he thundered. 

“I’m sorry, Mr. Figaro, but it all started with Owen taking Rosie’s doll. He started to taunt Rosie, but that didn’t sit too well with her. She started to fight physically with him. Terra tried to break it up, but Rosie’s temper got the best of her,” replied Duane.

“She bit me!” yelled Owen. He went silent as Mr Figaro looked at him sternly.

“What did you expect when you took her doll away from her? Where you trying to make her cry?” replied Edgar.

“I just wanted to tease her a little...”

“Now, Rosie is pretty well known for her temper isn’t she?” Edgar knew all about Rose’s temper. In her letters to Edgar, Terra had expressed her frustration with Rose and her fiery temper. This was the first time he had seen it in action himself. Rose tended to get shy around him on the few occasions he had seen the little girl. 

“Yes,” Owen said reluctantly.

“How did you think she would react to you stealing her doll?”

“I didn’t think...”

“That’s it right there. You didn’t think. Next time, young man, think about what you do before you do them. Be glad she only bit you. Now, go wash your hand where she bit you.”

“Now. Rose. Front and center, young lady!”

Terra set Rose down on the floor. Rose face had already turned red in her anger over her doll. Now, her color had deepened to purple as she trudged to Edgar looking down at her feet. 

“What about you, Rose? Instead of letting your mother handle the argument, why did you decide to fight Owen?”

“He told me to make him give back my doll,” said Rose.

“Is that a good enough excuse to bite him?” asked Edgar.

Rose raised her head to meet Edgar’s eyes. She snorted. “Yes. It’s MY doll. Not his.”

“So do two wrongs make a right?” Edgar asked silkily.

Rose’s eyes became confused. Edgar had to remember that she was only four. Barely more than a baby. She didn’t understand the nuances of right or wrong yet. She only understood the basics of the concept at her age. 

“How about this. Do you like hurting Mama?”

Rose’s blue eyes became stricken. “No.”

“When you fight like this, it hurts your Mama’s feelings. Flailing and screaming doesn’t help either. You could have hurt her badly doing that. This is what you will do. You will first apologize to Owen for biting him. Then you will apologize to your mother for fighting and having a temper tantrum. When you have done both, Owen will apologize to you next and he will give you back your doll. I had brought some new toys with me for this visit. Neither of you get to play with them for two days.”

Rose’s eyes filled with tears. “I’m sorry Mama! I’m sorry”. She ran to Terra and gave her a hug. After both Rose and Owen apologized to each other and Owen gave Rose back her doll. 

“Now. I had come to tell all of you that Aunt Celes and several of your uncles are all outside setting up a picnic for everyone. How about all of you going outside and greet everyone? Give me a few moments to talk with your Mama,” said Edgar. 

“It’s been raining outside,” commented Katarin.

“It’s stopped. We brought some pavilion tents to set up for just such a weather event. Go. I think everyone could use some fresh air and exercise.”

The kids needed no other prompting. After three days of confinement they were ready for any reason to go outside. Katarin went to a crib and pulled out her baby. She and Duane quietly went outside. 

Terra collapsed in a chair at the sudden silence. After three days, it was deafening. 

Edgar noticed how tired she looked. Twelve children with only Katarin and Duane to help her after they took care of their own baby was tough.

“Edgar, I...”

“It’s okay, Terra. You were trying your best, while holding a little tigress in your arms.”

“I just wish I knew how to handle her temper better.”

“She reminds me of my Aunt,” confessed Edgar. “She had a vicious temper herself. My father told me of the trouble it used to get her in. Now that I think about it, she was a red head herself.”

“Do you know how they handled it?”

“They never could quite get her to control it, as I recall. She was a wild woman. A trailblazer too. My Aunt Carolina was the first woman ever to be knighted in Figaro. She married a Duke who adored her and her wild ways. She died a couple of years after my father. Sabin and I used to go and spend summers with her and my two cousins as children. Carolina was the best swordsman I have ever seen. Not even Cyan could match her. You had once asked me who had taught me to fight with so many different weapons and styles. It was my Aunt who taught me. She was a one woman army.”

Terra smiled at Edgar. She could tell by the tone of his voice he admired her greatly. 

“Do you still allow women to be knights?”

“I can just imagine my Aunt kicking my behind from Figaro to Zozo if I ever refused. There are not a lot of young ladies who try for their Knighthood, but each and every one is welcome to try. When we start a new class of pages who are going for knighthood, we start with about five girls. By the time they are knighted there might only be one or two who make it. Lady-Knights are still rare, but we welcome all girls who want to try.”

There was a knock on the door.

“Hey, you two. Are you going to come out and say hello to the rest of us?” The voice was Locke’s.

“Feeling better?” asked Edgar. 

Terra nodded. Edgar helped Terra to her feet and pulled her into a tight hug as he did so. He kissed her cheek and murmured “I’ve missed you.” into her ear. He then steadied her onto her feet as she smiled at him. Edgar then opened the door and gestured for her to follow him. 

Locke smiled at Terra “Come on, now. We came a long way to visit.” He took Terra’s left arm as Edgar took Terra’s right. They both escorted Terra on a sun filled afternoon to a pavilion were Celes, Sabin, Setzer and Cyan were playing with the children as they set up the picnic.


	5. Quite a Family History

That night, after all of the children had been put to bed, Terra walked out of her house and to the airship where all her friends were waiting for her. Terra was surprised by the addition of Gau who was talking quietly to Cyan and Edgar. 

Edgar smiled as Terra boarded the airship. He held out his hand to her. 

“Come and join us,” he said as a greeting to her. Terra took Edgar’s hand who escorted her to a table where Celes, Locke and Sabin were waiting.

“How have you been, Terra?” asked Locke. The way he was looking at her told her he would stand for no lies. 

Terra ran her hand through her mint green hair. She could try to lie and say everything has been fine, but she knew that they would see through that lie. If everyone was here then everyone was worried. 

“Physically all right. Mostly tired from being run ragged by the children. Emotionally, I’m getting there. I’ve found I like working with my hands and fingers. It helps me mentally when I start to think too much about my loss of magic.”

Edgar decided to get to the point. “How about the gardens you have been trying to grow? Did you get anything from them or did they wither?” 

“You already know, don’t you,” accused Terra.

“Yes,” Edgar said softly. “I know. Nothing you tried could make things grow.”

Terra buried her face into her hands as she began to cry. It was more a tired cry than a sad cry. 

“What am I going to do? I was depending on those gardens for the winter and now we don’t have enough food to last.”

Edgar stood up and kneeled before Terra. He pulled her into his arms and let her cry.

“Let it all out. Come now, you should know that we would never abandon you.”

“I don’t think it helps that you have been lonely, either,” added Celes. “I know I thought it was best to leave you alone here six months ago, but I forgot that being so isolated would make you lonely.”

Terra nodded and Edgar gave her a handkerchief. “At first the isolation helped me cope with things. About two months ago, I got a letter from Relm who kept talking about her village and some of the new things they are trying and suddenly, POOF being so isolated was no real comfort anymore. I wanted adults to laugh with and village festivals and memorials to go to. I MISSED everyone. Duane and Katarin try, but they don’t understand a lot of things we all saw and did together. Everyone talks about my being a hero, but they don’t understand that we were all terrified. How the night before we confronted Kefka all we did was dog pile onto each other and tell stories and jokes just to cope with our fears.”

“Only someone who lived through what we did, would,” commented Locke. 

“It’s been a rough road for us all,” added Sabin. “Even for Edgar, he had to get used to being a King again instead of a vagabond.”

“In many ways, it’s like trying to handle your children, Terra,” said Edgar.

“I’m glad I left that behind me,” said Sabin. 

“You mostly left it behind you. You still do your part,” replied Edgar. 

“Yeah, well, I can’t abandon you, can I?”

Edgar chuckled at his brother. 

“You know something, Terra? We came to try to convince you that it would be better for you and the children to leave Mobliz. I think that the past few months have convinced you to do that yourself,” said Celes.

“I would love that, but where would I go?” replied Terra.

“As if we would tell you to leave without a plan,” said Edgar. “Do you remember that estate in South Figaro? The one that Celes was arrested in?”

Terra’s amethyst eyes hardened. “Yes. That man betrayed you for money.” 

“The very man. That house is now the property of the Crown. It is being vacated as we speak. I think it’s big enough for you and your children. I would love for you to take it over,” said Edgar.

“What did you do to that man?” asked Terra.

Edgar sighed. “Nothing particularly pleasant, but nothing bad either. I gave him a choice. He could take exile quietly and keep half of his money as well his personal things and go anywhere outside of Figaro he chose. If he chose not to be exiled quietly, he would be exiled where I chose and have nothing to his name. No money. No personal belongings. Nothing. His house and the other half of his money is reverting to the Crown for me to choose what to do with. You can guess what he chose.”

“I’m kinda surprised you are letting him keep anything,” said Terra.

“If he had a wife with a shred less honor, I would have done that. Suzanne Davidson is very honorable. She had begged him not to commit treason. Suzanne was also the only person to care for Celes when she had been arrested.”

Celes nodded, “Edgar’s right. Suzanne would try to make sure I was fed and would slip Potions to me after those Imperial brutes would beat me. If she could have, she would have tried to help me escape. That’s when Locke found me. Suzanne said nothing when she saw Locke enter the secret passage and help me escape. She always hated what her husband did.”

“It is for Suzanne and her children’s sake that I let them keep half of their wealth. Sam has never appreciated how much of a great lady his wife is,” Edgar concluded.

“I need to talk about it with Duane and Katarin and the rest of my family,” said Terra. 

“Call a family meeting tomorrow. The children will go wherever you are. Duane and Katarin… They are a young couple I think they will go with you as well. In time, when I have the resources to devote to it, they can come back and help rebuild Mobliz. I know my Aunt Carolina would love for me to rebuild her Duchy.”

“Wait. This is the Aunt you were telling me about before?” 

Sabin cut it, “Yeah. Our Aunt Caro was the toughest person either of us have ever known. Her husband was the Duke of the Veldt and the surrounding towns and villages. This area was one of the few autonomous Duchys there were. Our father and grandfather always said their courtship was legendary. Hunting competitions, sword fighting, wrestling, you name it, they competed and fought. Our aunt always won when it came to anything physical.”

“Our Uncle Ken won her hand when he gave up trying to best her physically, and decided to give her the cold shoulder.” said Edgar. “Aunt Caro really couldn’t handle being ignored by my uncle. After she broke down the door to his estate they fought with words. Ken explained that he couldn’t tolerate competing with her anymore. He loved her plain and simple. He wanted to marry her, but that was damned difficult when all she did was fight him. Aunt Caro confessed that she didn’t think he was serious about marrying her. Other men either treated her either like another man or made fun of her. Fighting for her was instinctive,” continued Edgar. “Uncle Ken said that a wild woman like Carolina was perfect for him and his Duchy. The Veldt was and is wild. The Dukes and Duchesses of the Veldt are equally wild. That wildness is why they only ever needed Dukes instead of Kings. Aunt Caro was moved by him and accepted his marriage proposal. She quit competing with Uncle Ken and found that when they fought together it made them both stronger.”

“Uncle Ken and Aunt Caro gave a lot of strength to Edgar when he became King,” said Sabin. “I’m pretty sure that the Empire sent Magitek devices and armor to the Veldt to assassinate them. The Empire always claimed that they were ‘malfunctioning’ machines. We always knew better though. Our Aunt and Uncle had been assassinated for helping Edgar keep Figaro together. They died together facing machinery they had never seen before and had no idea existed. Our cousin then became the Duke of the Veldt, but was very unsure of how to handle the Gestahlian Empire and it’s new types of machinery. It suited the Empires purpose. He would not be much help to Edgar as he was trying to keep his own Duchy together. That’s why that even now the Veldt is loaded with the wreckage of Magitek devices.”

“You have quite a family history,” said Celes.

“A lot of royal families tend to be related to each other in some form or fashion. Figaro is no different,” said Edgar. “We tend to prefer love matches though. It helps the royal family from becoming inbred. Emperor Gestahl’s mother and father had been brother and sister. I’m pretty sure his madness came from inbreeding,” Edgar paused. “Anyways. Aside from this discourse on my family and the Veldt, Terra, get your family together to discuss moving. You are all more than welcome to stay in Figaro Castle while we ready that estate for your usage. Don’t worry about money. The half of the Davidson estate that has been seized will be used for whatever purpose you require. Beds, furnishings, and anything else you need to help get on your feet. No one will argue about my giving that money to a family of orphans. As soon as the people of South Figaro heard about your family they are the ones who drive most of the food and clothing that you receive.”

“It’s the same in Kohlingen, Terra. As soon as the villagers heard about your family of orphans they donate all that they can to help. They have been very generous stating that who else would help if they do not,” said Celes. 

“Thank you,” said Terra quietly.

“Now, how about a game of cards,” said Locke. “Let’s relax for a spell, without the kiddos. I love them to death, Terra, but I bet that you could really use some laughs.”

Terra smiled. “Yes. I would really like a few laughs.”

Edgar brought out a bottle of wine. “How about some wine? It’s good for the blood, you know.”

Locke laughed as Edgar began to pour the wine. Terra found herself relaxing further as Setzer joined them and began to deal the cards.


	6. A Ruined House

After a few glasses of the wine, Terra found she could no longer keep her eyes open. She heard someone speaking about sleeping on a sofa and pillows being placed under her head. She found herself falling into the warm dark softness of sleep.

It was the tickle of sun on her nose that awoke Terra the next day. She saw that she had fallen asleep on one of Setzer’s sofas. It was quiet. That woke her up completely. She sat bolt upright.

“Oh God! The children...”

“Relax. They are being watched by Celes and the others,” came a voice. Edgar was in a chair reading a book. He was looking at Terra.

“Edgar, I...”

“Didn’t I just tell you to relax? We all know you’ve been exhausted. Since we are here to help, it’s no trouble to allow you to rest as we help out.”

Terra slowly forced herself to relax. “What time is it?”

“Almost noon. If you are hungry, Setzer said to raid his larder for some food.”

“I guess it will take some getting used to having people around me again.”

“You might find it easier to become independent when you don’t have to worry about where your next meal will come or if someone becomes ill. Just remember I am here for you whenever you need me to be there. There is nothing wrong with asking for help when you need it.” 

Terra ran her fingers through her hair. “I’ve missed you. I’ve missed how you make me feel like things are going to be alright.”

Edgar smiled at Terra, “I’ve missed you. I’ve missed how you always make me feel like myself and not some royal statue.”

“Are you still keeping the chambermaids of Figaro busy at night?”

“No. The only time anyone comes to my bedroom anymore is to check on me when I start screaming in terror at night.”

“Which nightmare do you dream of? We have seen so many.”

“The Cataclysm. I keep trying to grab both you and Sabin and fail every single time. The shock of seeing everyone being scattered to the wind as the Cataclysm happened and the blackness at the end of the fall.” 

“No one understands what it was like to be in the epicenter of it. No one really understands why it happened in the first place. I guess that’s the biggest change. Most people will never understand how close we all were to being destroyed. How this planet almost died. How we almost died trying to save it. How you almost died by not being human enough,” whispered Edgar.

“You always think of others before yourself, Edgar,” Terra said softly.

“It became that way after I met you. A lot of my skirt-chasing had been pure selfishness. Part of it was loneliness. It’s very lonely to be King so young. I never had a chance to do anything else. I’m not excusing it, Terra. But when you hear about young almost men going out to universities, partying and having the time of their lives, I was already a King and had more responsibilities than they could ever imagine. In some ways I resented it. It took The Empire and that damn clown to force me to grow up just a little.”

“And now?” asked Terra.

“Now, I have what I want and need. I have Sabin back and we are as close as ever. The Empire is gone so that cloud no longer haunts me. I have friends that I trust who I have nothing but respect for and can be myself for. Those make all the responsibilities of being king much easier to bear than when I was younger.”

“You’re only twenty-eight.”

“But I’m not a seventeen year old boy-King anymore either. When I was telling you about my Aunt Carolina earlier, I managed to keep my throne in no small part because of her. There had been a faction who thought I was too young to be King and that Aunt Caro should reign as regent in my place. She gave me her unconditional support to be King without a regent. She also made it clear that anyone who might try to remove me from the throne would have to answer to her. As I said, Carolina was a one woman army. It was no idle threat. The kingdom knew she would fight for me. It also isolated me and made me lonely. I never knew who I could trust, especially without Sabin there.”

“I think your family would be proud of you. It would have been interesting to have met your Aunt Carolina,” said Terra.

“Aunt Caro would have liked you. If she were still alive, she would have been the first person into Mobliz after the Cataclysm. She would have taken in all the orphans herself. She believed that we should be judged by how we care for each other.”

“What about your cousins? Did they die from the Cataclysm?”

“My older cousin didn't die from the Cataclysm itself. I have learned he was killed in the Veldt trying to reach the towns and villages that were part of the Duchy. I think he had been killed by Phunbaba actually. He wasn’t the fighter my Aunt was. My younger cousin lived here in Mobliz and died in the Light of Judgment like all the other adults. I think he had a baby, but since you don’t have any babies among your children, I am going to assume the baby died too.”

Terra yawned. “I'm getting hungry.”

“Go and eat. After that you can go call that family meeting about moving to South Figaro. In the meantime, I want to talk to Duane.”

Later that afternoon, Edgar finally managed to corner Duane. 

“I want to talk to you about some things,” said Edgar. 

“Sure, Mr Figaro.” Duane knew Edgar was really the King of Figaro. If it weren’t for some of his mannerisms Duane would have just thought he was an ordinary man. There was a proud bearing about Edgar though. A bearing that spoke of being more than a normal person or even a noble. Sabin hid it well, but if you paid attention, he still had some of the mannerisms of royal birth.

Edgar led Duane further into the ruins of Mobliz itself. 

Edgar spoke first, “I want to ask you some things about the children. Where did you find them and how long did it take for you to find all of them.”

“For almost all of us, Katarin and I grabbed as many of the kids as we could and hid in the deepest basement we could find. The Light of Judgment was terrible and only in deep basements could we find refuge from it. Everything else on the surface burned up. When we went to the surface and saw the burned wreckage of the town, we heard the cry of a toddler. That was Rose. We found her hidden in the basement of someone’s home. I never knew who the owner was. I didn’t care at the time. Katarin and I dug into that home and pulled Rosie out of it. She had a few scratches but was otherwise fine. We didn’t even know her name. Katarin named her Rose because of her hair.”

Edgar looked at Duane. “What house? Where?”

“Oh, it’s right over there,” he pointed to a larger ruined house. “It doesn’t look like much now, but that used to be a mighty fine house.” 

Edgar nodded. “Where there any other children?”

“There was one more, but he died after we dug him out. Katarin said he was bleeding internally and that she had no proper way to stop the bleeding. He died about four days after the Light of Judgment.”

“So sad,” commented Edgar. He shook his head and spoke again.

“The other matter I want to talk about is something I think you are going to want to talk to Katarin for a while about. Terra is considering moving to South Figaro with the rest of the children. If she were to do that, would you want to stay here, or would you want to follow us back to South Figaro?”

“Katarin and I had already talked about leaving. We were considering leaving ourselves because of how isolated we are here. We didn’t want to put Terra in a bind or abandon the children, though. If that is what’s happening, I’ll go talk to Katarin. That way she isn’t blindsided by the news.”

After supper, Terra called all her children together. She told them about Mr Figaro’s idea about leaving Mobliz and moving to a nice house in South Figaro.

“Mama?” asked one of the older girls, Emma. 

“Yes, Emma?”

“Isn’t it weird for there to be a town named after Mr Figaro?”

“I’m going to be honest with all of you. Mr Figaro is actually the King of Figaro. The town and Kingdom all take their name after the Figaro family. Sabin is Edgar’s younger twin brother and is a Prince of Figaro,” answered Terra. 

“Why is he offering us a house?” asked another child. 

“I guess mostly because he worries about how we are doing here. We all know the gardens died. It will be very hard for us to keep living here if we can’t even get a garden to grow. Winter is coming. I don’t know if we can survive winter here anymore. Gau told me that the beasts in the Veldt are getting sick. That sickness can make us sick as well.”

“Mr Figaro likes you,” commented Emma. 

Terra blushed, then temporized, “We are good friends. That’s all.”

Owen spoke up, “I have an Aunt and Uncle in South Figaro. It would be nice to go and visit them.”

“This isn’t a short term stay. If we go it will be a long time before any of us can come back,” warned Terra. 

Owen shrugged, “I know, Mama. But, I can still go visit my Aunt and Uncle.”

“It would be nice to see other people. Don’t get me wrong, Mama, I love everyone in this room. But sometimes we are together too much, with only your friends to visit us.” commented another boy, named Derek. 

There were murmurs of agreement.

“Are we all agreed, then?” asked Terra.

The murmur became open talk of agreement. They would go. 

As Terra was holding her family meeting. Edgar, Locke, and Sabin, were examining the large ruined house that Duane had pointed out to Edgar.

“Are you sure this is Chris’s house, Edgar?” asked Sabin.

“I don’t know. I want to check on the possibility of that. We both know our cousin lived here. He got married and had a child. I want to know if one of Terra’s orphans might be Chris’s child. “

“You’re thinking about Rose aren’t you?” asked Locke.

“She’s about the right age. Rose was found in the basement of this house. Duane told me it had been a nice house. Chris didn’t really like people to know he was the son of the Duke and related to the Kings of Figaro. He was like Sabin in that respect.”

“I noticed Rose had the Figaro eyes,” commented Sabin. “I just never thought about it that much.”

“She also has Aunt Caro’s hair and temperament. I admit, it could be nothing but coincidence. However, it could also be that Terra has been raising the Duchess of the Veldt without knowing it.”

“Don’t take her away from Terra,” said Locke. “You know nothing about raising kids, and Rosie is a real handful.”

“No, nothing like that. I have no intention of taking her away from Terra. I just want to know if any of Aunt Caro’s descendants are alive. They’re a part of my family, Locke. It’s for family’s sake I want to try and find out,” replied Edgar. 

“We might need a couple of lanterns,” commented Locke.

“And a shovel or two,” added Sabin.

“You’re in luck, I just happened to bring those things,” said a voice behind them.

It was Celes. She smirked as she stepped out from behind them. She had a wheelbarrow with tools and a few lanterns.

Edgar grabbed a lantern and lit the wick with a match.

“Let’s start by taking a look at the supporting structures,’ he commented. “We don’t want any more of the house to collapse on top of us.”

“Good idea,” said Sabin. “You’re the engineer, not me.”

“If I wasn’t needed as King, I might well have made a living with that,” Edgar confessed. He loved seeing how structures were built and what it took to make them. It had become his hobby. How Figaro Castle was built and operated was due in no small part because of him. Edgar had devised many of the tools he used on their journey in his spare time.

“The roof has caved in due to the fire, but the actual supports seem solid enough. So long as we don’t try to take down any walls we should be alright,” said Edgar after a close inspection.

They began to walk around. Everything looked burned and damaged. 

“Not much here, either Terra has scavenged things or they burned in the fire.” commented Celes.

“Or both,” added Sabin.

“I think I see where Duane dug into the basement to find Rose,” said Locke. 

They went into the dug out area and slowly climbed down. 

The basement itself had half collapsed, but there were a few interesting things to note. 

There was a desk with what appeared to a diary, along with several papers. Edgar read one of the papers. He sighed deeply. 

“Edgar, look! Aunt Caro’s shield is on the wall,” called Sabin.

“Yeah,” Edgar replied huskily.”This is for sure the home of Christopher DuBose. He was writing a letter to me about needing help getting the people out of Mobliz. Apparently, his wife died in the Cataclysm. He hid down here with his daughter. The letter doesn’t mention her name. I think it’s a good assumption that he was talking about Rose. The collapse of the other side of the basement must have killed him. I don’t see any other kitchens or a store room, so he must have used the other half of this basement for such things. Grab the shield, Sabin. It belongs to Rose now. I will have it cleaned and polished and then give it to her when she is old enough. Until then, it can hang with the rest of the family’s shields in Figaro Castle.”

“What are you going to tell Terra about Rose?” asked Celes.

“Right now, I’m going to gather the papers that we have, read my cousins diary, and possibly go to the ruins of DuBose castle. I hope I can find Rose’s official birth recorded there. When I have enough information, I will explain it all to Terra.”


	7. The Swordlady

Terra was already back on the Falcon when they returned.

“What’s all that stuff?,” she asked.

“We dug around one of the ruined houses.,” answered Sabin. “Turns out it was the house my cousin lived in. We found a few things to take back to Figaro.”

“What sort of things?” asked Terra. 

Edgar cut in, “My Aunt Carolina’s formal shield for one. You see, most knights have a formal shield with their family crest and personal device on it. They are not used in battle but for formal occasions such as State visitations and the like. It appears that my cousin Chris kept my Aunt Caro’s after she died. Come here let me show you.” 

The shield itself was dusty and had some scratches on it. The background was golden brown with a large castle meeting a sweeping blue wave. Over all of it was a crown. It was bordered in the shape of a diamond with golden orange roses. The border itself was the green of rose vines with long silver thorns in the shape of swords.

“Beautiful,” murmured Terra. 

“The center design is the family crest of Figaro. The roses in the border also combine with the distaff border to make the Rose of Figaro,” explained Edgar. “If you look at my family’s formal shields through the ages, the background with the crown doesn’t change. Only my Aunt used the Rose of Figaro as her personal device. That’s what made the shield personal to her. No one else can claim it.”

“What is the Rose of Figaro? Is it some sort of legend?” asked Celes.

Edgar smiled, “No the Rose of Figaro is very real. It is an extremely rare desert rose that only grows on the edge of an oasis. It’s petals are a golden orange that in the right light looks like fire. It is sometimes called the Swordlady because of its inch long silvery thorns. That’s why you see the thorns of the Rose as swords on my Aunt’s shield. Like I said though, it is very rare. It only grows in the harshest of conditions. I myself have only ever seen a real Rose of Figaro once in my life. My grandfather made the Rose my aunt’s personal device because it suited her so well. A Swordlady for the first woman knight of Figaro,” finished Edgar. “I’m going to have this cleaned and restored then place it with the rest of my family’s shields. Aunt Carolina deserves every bit of respect she earned.”

“You loved your Aunt a lot, didn’t you?” asked Terra.

“My own mother died when Sabin and I were born. Aunt Caro was the closest thing I have ever known to a mother,” Edgar said softly. “So yes, in many ways, that’s why I have kept and collected as many of the stories about her as I can. Being here, in her duchy, brings up a lot of those old stories and memories. When she died, it hurt as badly as when my father died.”

Something must have clicked in Celes’s head as she looked at Edgar. An understanding that Terra didn’t understand.

Sabin went to Edgar and gave him a fierce hug. They both wiped tears from their eyes as they remembered their aunt.

Celes looked at Terra. “What have you been up to?”

“I held my family meeting and we all agreed to move to Figaro. Some of the children are ready to see more people again. I’ve been drawing up a list to start getting things ready for the move.” replied Terra. 

Celes nodded approvingly. Both being military trained, they both liked a well executed plan. It kept things more or less organized when things got messy.

“So. What needs to be done first, Terra?” she asked. 

“An inspection. I want all of their clothing inspected. Things that are too worn should be scrapped for rags. Things that are not quite as worn should be saved for heavy work. Nice, but ill fitting clothing should be passed around. Good well fitting clothing needs to be packed up. All the clothing we are taking needs to be washed and dried before it is packed up. The only person I have a rough time with clothes for is Rosie. It is a rare day that I get clothes that fit her from the donated things I get. It would be nice if I had a bolt of cloth to make underclothes and a few clothing items for Rosie.” replied Terra. 

“Thamasa is only an hour or so away, Terra,” said Setzer. “I can go make a quick trip to pick up the things you need to outfit everyone. Does Rosie also need shoes?”

“Yes. The shoes she is wearing fit, but they are boys shoes so they don’t fit her foot in all the right places. They can be little floppy in some places.”

“How about this, Terra?” said Edgar. “Why don’t Setzer and myself take Rose to Thamasa for clothing and the like for a day? That way she doesn’t get underfoot and into trouble while you start to organize your household? Pass around a wish list to the children and we can go and pick stuff up for them. Write down anything else you would like as well.”

Terra nodded. 

After Terra left to return to her family, Setzer sent carrier pigeon to Strago and Relm to let them know of their arrival the next day.

At dawn, Edgar came to escort Rose to the waiting airship. Locke complained about the early hour as they went to go help Terra round up her children. Celes laughed and said he would hate the military and all the waking at dawn everyday. Sabin took the hour with a shrug. During his training with Duncan he frequently woke up even earlier than this to climb hundreds of stairs for endurance training, It was still something he did regularly.

Edgar looked at the wish list Terra had put together and noted how the girls all wanted girls shoes in the right sizes as well as lace and ribbons. They really emphasized the girls part for the shoes. The boys wanted practical things such as belts and shoelaces. Terra had added her requests for bolts of cloth and a few other small but needed things such as lamp oil and laundry soap. 

Then there was Rose. She was dressed in a neat dress in yellow. It fit her well and was otherwise presentable, but clashed horribly with her red hair. Yellow just wasn’t a good color for her. Edgar noted that the shoes she was wearing were far too wide for her narrow foot and were tied up to try to fit as best as they could. It looked like this excursion was badly needed for little Rose.

Terra was standing by them instructing Rose to be a good girl and to not give Edgar and Setzer trouble. Edgar helped Rose climb into the airship and with a wave promised to be back by morning at the latest. Terra nodded knowing that Strago and Relm would want a proper visit from Edgar. 

Rose had shyly kept to herself the entire trip to Thamasa. Edgar noticed her smile as they flew in the air as she looked over the railing down to the ocean. Rose also seemed to enjoy the air as it ruffled her hair and her dress.

Edgar was standing by Setzer, who was manning the steering wheel. 

“Strange. Not a peep out of her,” murmured Edgar.

Setzer turned his scarred face in the direction of Rose and smiled. “She doesn’t know you well. Rose will talk more when she gets to know you. It’s a side effect from being isolated for as long as she can remember. You’ll find out better the hellion she really is as she gets to know you.”

“I think part of it is that I stepped in to discipline her the other day,” confessed Edgar.

“What did she do? Fight with one of the other kids, this time?” asked Setzer.

“Yeah. How did you know?”

“Owen was practically crowing over it. Terra needs to watch for him. He likes getting Rose worked up to make her look bad. Rose always takes the bait. She can’t help herself. Her temper is just a little too quick for her to think things out. There isn’t a whole lot that Terra can do. Rose fights back and isn’t afraid of using dirty tricks. Owen seems to wiggle out of trouble more than Rose does even though Rose is just reacting to him,” said Setzer.

“I’ll pay closer attention,” promised Edgar.

Edgar walked over to Rose and sat next to her.

“Are you excited to be going to a different town?” he softly asked Rose. 

Rose nodded shyly.

“Can I ask a question?” said Edgar.

Rose nodded again.

“Are you mad at me from the other day?”

“A little,” she said softly. “I got in trouble again, but Owen got off the hook again.”

“Setzer told me he was bragging about it.”

Rose nodded.

“I’m sorry. If he does that again in my presence, I’ll make sure you get off the hook and he takes his share of the trouble.”

Rose looked up and smiled shyly at Edgar, “Thank you.”

Edgar held out his hand to Rose. “Come. Let me show you the landmarks as we arrive.”

“Can I ask you a question?”

Edgar smiled, “You may.”

“Are you really a King?”

Edgar smiled deeper. He expected the question.

“Yes.” he answered simply.

“What’s it like, really?”

Edgar thought for a moment.

“Mostly, it’s a lot like being your Mama. Although, I have to set rules and make decisions for towns and villages and farmers. There is also a lot of paperwork. Storybooks seem to gloss over the piles of paper I see.”

“Mama once said being a hero is mostly being scared. Is she right?”

“Yes, she is. When we confronted Kefka all we could do is try to control how frightened we were. We did not know if we would live or die. We only knew we had to try. There was no one else who could.”

“Why?”

Edgar’s brow furrowed in thought. “For you and the rest of your family. For the people in my kingdom. For my brother. For each other. We knew if we didn’t try to stop Kefka then everyone and everything would die. If we died trying at least we tried. It was better than accepting death quietly.”

“Thank you,” said Rose. “Mama always said it was complicated. You made it sound a lot simpler.”

“Your mother sometimes has a hard time putting words to things. I have gotten good at putting words to hard answers. It’s one of things I was taught about your age.” 

Setzer turned his silver hair towards them.

“We’ll be landing in a few minutes,” he said.

Edgar held his hand out to Rose, “Shall we? We have a lot to do today.”


	8. Relm

Relm was waiting as they disembarked from the airship. Edgar noticed she was getting taller and was starting to fill out more.

“Edgar!” she yelled as she ran towards him, her blonde curls bouncing as she ran.

Edgar closed the distance and gave her a warm hug. “How are you Relm?”

“I’m good! Grandpa is good!”

Rose noticed that Relm was no older than some of her sisters.

“Who is this, Edgar?” asked Relm gesturing towards Rose.

“Relm, this is Rose DuBose. She is one of Terra’s children. Rose this is Relm Arrowny. She and her grandfather, Strago, live here.”

Relm frowned her eyebrow. “Who picked the dress? That color is awful on her!”

Rose began to blush.

“Relm, you know that Terra has pretty limited resources,” said Edgar warningly.

Relm blushed. “I’m sorry, Rose. I forgot that Terra doesn’t have weavers and things to make nice clothes with. I guess that’s why Edgar asked me to let the seamstress know you would be here a while. Come on, let’s go. We can get you clothes that will look pretty on you. Terra might be shy about forcing Edgar to take a loan out of Setzer. I won’t be. Once I get you in some pretty clothing I can paint your portrait.”

“No need to take out loans, Relm. I brought plenty of money. I brought it just in case Terra’s kids needed more than she let me know. So far, it seems that the older children have got decent clothing, only Rose here doesn’t. Most of Terra's donated clothing fit the older kids more than Rose. Though I must admit most of the girls stressed that they wanted girls shoes in their size. I never thought that shoes are that much different between boys and girls.”

“Girl’s feet are narrower for the most part. Our arches and where we break shoes in are different than that of boys. Boys shoes are too big around and pinch the foot in the wrong places,” explained Relm. To Rose she said, “I bet you get a lot of blisters, don’t you?” 

Rose decided she liked blunt Relm. She smiled and nodded.

Relm held out her hand to Rose. “Come on, the seamstress is waiting.” 

Rose took Relm’s hand and walked with her into the village. Relm pointed things out to Rose as she chatted. Several of the villagers came up to greet Edgar as they walked through the town. Relm was unsurprised. Rose was though, and mentioned it to Relm.

“Oh everybody knows Edgar around here. Edgar has done a lot to help make the farms healthy since the Cataclysm. He had a team of experts out in farms making things right for our food and livestock. Edgar likes to chat with the townsfolk to get an accurate picture on what work has been done and what needs to be done. That way he can get the right tradesmen and vendors here to buy and sell goods and services. Ah, here we are!”

Relm opened a door that had a sign above with a spool of thread and a needle.

“There you are, Relm. Is this the child we need to outfit?” asked a cheery older woman.

“Yes, Mrs Nesbit. This is Rose DuBose. As you can see, she needs help.”

Mrs Nesbit looked over Rose carefully. She nodded. “Close the blinds and put on all the lamps, ladies. This child is not walking out here until she has been completely re-outfitted,” she called to her assistants.

“Undress child, so I can take measurements,” commanded Mrs Nesbit.

Rose took off the dress and before she knew what was happening Mrs Nesbit was taking waist, leg, shoulder and arm measurements. The ladies began to talk as they got Rose settled into new clothing. 

Four hours later, Edgar noticed that blinds to the seamstresses shop were once again open. He knocked on the door. One of Mrs Nesbit’s assistants opened the door.

“Yes?”

“Is Rose ready yet?” asked Edgar.

“Come in, Edgar. We are just finishing up with Rose,” called Mrs Nesbit.

Edgar noticed that Rose was now wearing a deep blue dress that flattered her hair and coloring much better that the yellow dress she was wearing before. There was one last dress that was still on the mannequin with needles.

“I wanted to ask you about that dress personally. Rose told me that she was going to be in Figaro Castle for a while. That is a formal dress that can serve on formal occasions. Rose doesn’t think she will need it, but I wanted to ask you about it.”

“There is no way of knowing how long Terra and the rest of her children will be in Figaro Castle. A more formal dress would not be remiss. That will give my seamstresses one less person they have to worry about,” replied Edgar.

“It’s mostly finished, just a few adjustments need to be made. Will you be staying the night with Relm and Strago?” asked Mrs Nesbit

“Yes.”

“Good. I’ll finish that this afternoon and have it delivered by this evening.”

“How much for everything?”

Mrs Nesbit rattled off the prices of three plain dresses, the formal dress, blouses, skirts, pants, stockings, shoes, and appropriate undergarments. Edgar just nodded and paid the total. Edgar carried the clothing outside and placed them in a cart that also carried several more things.

Relm was waiting outside. “Everything set?” she asked.

“Yes,” said Rose.

“Good. Let’s go to my house for lunch.”

“Let me go get these things loaded onto the airship,” said Edgar. “I will meet the two of you at your house later, Relm.” 

“Okay.” was all Relm said. “Come on, Rose. I will introduce you to the old Fuddy Duddy.”

“Fuddy Duddy?” asked Rose.

“I call my grandfather that. After lunch, lets paint your portrait! Terra would love it if I painted it. I must say you look a damn sight better now than earlier. I didn’t even notice your eyes are as blue as Edgar’s,” chattered Relm.

Rose didn’t say anything and let Relm talk. 

Rose wasn’t sure she could stand still much longer. Relm had her stand in a corner where she kept a black colored backdrop. Relm was busy sketching as Rose began to fidget. 

Edgar asked Relm a question.

“Relm, why are you using a black background?” he asked. 

“I want Rose’s natural coloring to shine in this portrait,” she explained. “Her beautiful red hair, its golden undertones. Her fair skin and her eyes. I want all those colors to spring out. If you were to use another backdrop, say a bookcase or a green field, it reduces the impact of Rose’s natural coloring. White will make the colors too vivid and I will lose the impact to Rose’s eyes if I used a sky or other blue background.” 

Relm continues to sketch. “There! I’ve finished my sketch. Now I will make some notations and start to paint. Okay, Rose I know you must be tired from posing for me. You can go and sit down now. If you want to take a nap you can sleep on my bed.” 

Rose felt ready for a nap. Strago nodded at Rose. “Go ahead. Lie down. Relm sometimes forgets that posing for her is exhausting. Relm! Get Interceptor out of there.”

“He won’t hurt her, unless she is mean to him,” retorted Relm.

“I won’t be mean. I only bite boys who take away my doll for the fun of it,” said Rose.

“That sounds fair,” smiled Relm. 

Relm led Rose to her small room. There were paintings and sketches everywhere. Rose was surprised by how alive Relm’s paintings looked. 

“Come on. Lie down for a while,” Relm coaxed. Rose yawned again and lay down on the bed. Relm had barely closed the door before Rose fell asleep.

Rose woke briefly to the sensations of being picked up and being put down again. She woke again briefly to softly murmured words. 

“Relm wore her out,” said Edgar. “All morning with a seamstress then posing for Relm so she could paint Rose’s portrait. Poor thing couldn’t keep her eyes open after that.”

“Just put her down on her bed. I’ll be up in a few minutes to get the cloth and other things we asked for,” murmured Terra.

Edgar lay Rose on her bed.

“Edgar?” called Rose.

“Yes, sweetheart?” he answered. 

“Thank you. For everything.”

Edgar smiled at Rose, “You are most welcome.” He then turned around and left Rose with Terra.

“Sounds like you two have become friends,” said Terra. 

“We have Mama.”

“If he ever manages to settle down, he would make a good father,” murmured Terra, almost to herself. Terra shook her head. “Come, Rosie. Let’s get you undressed and back to bed.” Terra admired the blue dress that Rose was wearing and promised to hang it up for easy reach to get dressed in the morning.

Unknown to either Terra or Rose that there was a pair of jealous eyes watching them.


	9. Hellfire

Rose woke up the next morning feeling refreshed and surprisingly happy. Her beautiful blue dress wasn’t hanging where mama promised it would be. Rosie frowned and shrugged. After all, she fell asleep in it. Mama probably ironed it and left it by her ironing board. It wouldn’t be the first time Mama would iron her clothes and forget to return it. Mama had to iron for everyone, so if she left things by the board, they knew she had been tired and just go and grab their things by her ironing station.

Rose quietly got out of her bed and put on her dressing gown. Like most of her things it had been too big for her. Mama was getting clever with her needles and simply cut it down to fit her. She put on her slippers and tip toed out of the room she shared with two others and entered the main room. 

Almost all of the beautiful clothes that Edgar had bought for her were out in plain sight on the floor and covered in muck.

“MAMA!!!” Rose screeched. Tears filled her eyes at the sight of her ruined clothes.

Terra ran out of her bedroom. She looked in shock at the sight of the ruined clothing in front of her. The other children began to enter the room at Rose’s scream. 

“Oh no! Poor Rosie!” the other girls were equally shocked at Rose’s ruined clothing. It was the first time Rose had any nice clothing like that. Even with donated clothes they all had managed to obtain at least a few good outfits. Only Rosie never had nice things before. As the youngest, most things that were sent were much too big for Rosie. They began to murmur to themselves about who would do such a thing to poor Rosie. 

There was a snicker. Owen looked at Rose with eyes filled with malice and a cruel smile. 

White hot fury filled Rose and with a screech she launched herself at him. Terra was forced to duck as Rose plowed into Owen. Rose was screaming about how dare he and Owen was beginning to use his greater weight to back Rose into a wall. Owen was yelling about teaching Rose her place and was about to punch Rose when a strong hand grabbed Owen’s raised fist just as Rose kicked Owen in the fork. 

Owen would have collapsed to his knees, if it weren’t for the hand that still had his own arm. 

Rose was at fever pitch. She was about to launch herself again at Owen when a pair of even stronger arms picked her up and threw her over his shoulder. 

“You can kick and scream all you like, it won’t hurt me none.” said a cheerful voice. 

It was Sabin. Rose pounded on him futilely until her anger ran out. It was like pounding on a brick wall.

Sabin then shifted Rose until he was looking at her. His gaze was kind but firm. Tears began to fill Rose’s eyes again as she cried for all of her ruined things.

There was a murmured question. Sabin shook his head. 

“I’ve got her. Why don’t you handle things here while I get her calmed down. Join me, Celes?”

Sabin, still carrying Rose, left Terra’s basement home and got them onboard the Falcon. 

Setzer was up.

“What was all the yelling?” he asked. 

Celes gave Setzer a brief rundown about Rose’s ruined clothes and the fight with Owen.

Setzer shook his silvery head. “I’ve been warning Terra for months about Owen. You can’t really blame Rose for fighting back. He won’t stand down so long as Terra keeps letting him get away with his trouble making and letting Rose take more than her fair share of the trouble. Owen needs a good spanking. Hopefully Edgar will give Owen his just desserts.”

“You told Edgar?” asked Celes.

“Yes. I told him how Owen was bragging about getting out of trouble the other day. He didn’t take kindly to the news.”

“Yes. But I can see Terra’s point of view. Rose shouldn’t start a physical altercation.” said Celes.

“Maybe. But it may also be that Rose fights because it the only way she can get any kind of justice.”

Sabin placed Rose on a sofa. “You settling down, Hellfire?”

Rose nodded. Her throat was closed up with her tears.

He nodded at Rose, “Let me get you some tea and a washcloth.” Sabin left Rose.

Rose began to wish she never got out of bed that morning. She lay down on the sofa as she waited.

Terra and Edgar were arguing over Owen’s punishment. Terra was going force Owen to clean all of Rose’s things. Edgar was arguing that it wasn’t enough. It didn’t help that Locke agreed with Edgar.

“I’m sorry, Terra, but a stronger message needs to be sent to him. If I had ever done something like that to Sabin or even a chambermaids clothes, my father would have switched my behind red. Prince or not,” said Edgar. 

“Edgar’s right, Terra. My father wouldn’t think a switch was good enough. I would have gotten a wide leather belt,” chipped in Locke.

“Rose should have just let me handle it...”

“And what then?” argued Edgar. “Let Owen get away with his bad behavior again? Did you know he was bragging about getting away with tormenting Rose? He is testing you. He wants to know how far he can push you before someone finally punishes him.”

“I can’t just excuse Rose for getting physical,” said Terra.

“I think the little Hellfire is only fighting back,” said Locke. “It’s the only recourse she has. Think about it Terra. Rose came back late last night tired and went straight to bed. She woke up looking forward to something nice that was hers and no one else’s. She finds it ruined. After the shock goes away and finding the culprit smirking at her, she gets angry. Rose fights back the only way she can. The fight goes on and she is being backed into a corner. She strikes to get out of the corner the one way that is surefire. Hell, Owen was even shouting about teaching her whatever her “place” is. That is flat out bullying. Picking on someone smaller to feel better about oneself. Rose is only fighting back.”

Terra rubbed her face wearily. “Alright. I will leave Owen’s punishment to you. As for Rose...”

“No punishment. Not this time. I can’t blame Rose for what she did. As part of Owen’s punishment, Rose gets a pass this time. He gets enjoyment from seeing Rose get punished while he walks free. This time we put the shoe on the other foot,” said Edgar in a clipped voice. 

“Excuse me, Mama?” asked one of the older girls, Emma.

“Yes, Emma,” replied Terra. 

“We are pretty sure we can get all the muck off of Rosie’s clothes, if we act quickly,” Emma said. “Me and the other girls will go and do that, if you don’t mind. As far as Owen goes, we agree with Mr Edgar and Locke. My big brother once did that to my new school clothes and boy did he get thrashed by my father. It was a punishment he earned.” The other girls all nodded in agreement.

Terra’s face softened, “Thank you Emma and the rest of you ladies. There are a few bars of good laundry soap out on the main table. Go take that to wash Rosie’s things.”

Celes was watching over the railing of the Falcon when she saw some of Terra’s girls walk out with washtubs, washboards and kettles for heating water. Two of them set up the washtubs while two more got firewood from a lean to and started a fire for heating water. Celes decided to go and help.

“Do you ladies want some help?” she asked.

Emma smiled at Aunt Celes. “I think we’ve got it all in hand but come and join us. Mama should be out soon. She doesn’t want to be around while Edgar and Locke give Owen the thrashing he should have gotten a while ago.”

“How did Edgar get her to agree to that?”

Emma smiled, “I think we tipped the balance in Edgar’s favor. I told Terra about what my father did once to my brother who pulled a similar stunt on me. My Papa would have thrashed Owen a long time ago for the stunts he pulls on Rosie.” The other girls all nodded in agreement.

“Rosie is a little hothead, but it doesn’t help her that Owen eggs her on,” said another girl named Carrie. “I don’t really blame Rosie for fighting him. He won’t stop until he learns that there is a limit. When things are calm Rosie is sweet and much smarter than the rest of us. I would have been just as angry if Owen had pulled that sort of stunt on me.”

The girls chattered as they sorted through Rose’s clothes. Many were saying it was about time Rose had some nice things. 

“Looks like her whites might need some bleaching,” came Terra’s voice. “Let me go grab it and we can let Rosie’s whites soak for a little while. Whatever did he smear all over Rosie’s clothes?”

A few minutes later, Owen tore out of the house crying and Edgar and Locke walked out grim faced and tired.

Locke sat down on a rock not far from Celes and the rest of the ladies.

“My father said that thrashing me hurt him more than it hurt me. I’m surprised to learn that he was right,” sighed Locke. 

Edgar rubbed his face and nodded. “I never thought I would be in a position to ever need to thrash someone.” 

“Keep that adult lesson in mind Edgar. You are going to have to father a child someday. Punishment is a lot harder than our parents made it look,” said Celes.

“That’s right you lived with Cid until you were how old? Fifteen, sixteen?” asked Locke.

“I was fourteen when I was conscripted into the Imperial Army. I was fifteen when they began their experiments on me,” said Celes flatly. Her face softened, “I am grateful that I at least had Cid that long. I guess Gestahl wasn’t looking too much at the girls in his army then. Not until Kefka’s experiment failed.” Celes shook her head. “Still, I can remember Cid. Sometimes that’s all we have to live with.”

“Where’s Rose?” asked Edgar

“With Sabin on the Falcon. Setzer was treating her to bacon and toast for breakfast,” replied Celes.

“Ahh! Perfectly clean,” said Emma. She had just wrung out Rose’s blue dress and letting the breeze ruffle it. “A good dress with a color that I’m sure looks beautiful on Rosie.” She stood up and hung it on a clothesline. 

“Thank you, Emma. For backing me up earlier,” said Edgar.

Emma waved his thanks off. “Like I said, my Papa would have thrashed Owen a long time ago for the stunts he pulls on Rose. Not having a Papa is part of the problem, I think. I can’t blame Rosie when she gets angry like that. I would have been equally furious if someone had done that to my clothes and my clothes are far from new. I also said my older brother once pulled that kind of stunt on some new school clothes I had when I was a little older than Rosie. My Papa gave him the thrashing of his life for doing it on brand new clothes. I can only imagine how hurt Rosie was with the first new clothes she has ever had.”

The other girls were all bobbing their heads in agreement and murmuring about how Emma was right. 

“Are you ladies scared about moving to Figaro?”

“Hellfires, no! Now that we are more or less safe, it’s going to be WONDERFUL to be around people again! Part of me will probably always miss this village before the Cataclysm. But the village I remember is dead. I want to go somewhere where there is LIFE,” said Carrie.

“Thank you, Carrie,” came Terra’s voice. “I was afraid I was making a selfish decision because of my loneliness. I am glad to know that we are all ready to see people again.”

One of the other girls piped up. “It’s not selfish, Mama. Look at us. We have all been stuck with each other for about twenty months. I want friends who I don’t live with. I want to go to school and be with other girls about my age. Rosie has no friends her own age and she needs friends as badly as the rest of us.”

“Oooo! I bet this green dress looks fantastic with Rosie’s hair!” exclaimed Carrie. She had also just wrung out one of Rose’s new dresses. She smiled and quickly hung it on the clothesline.

“If you’ll excuse me, ladies. It’s time for me to talk to Rose.” Edgar gave the young ladies a courtly bow which made all of them giggle. 

Just talking to Terra’s girls once again reminded Edgar of why he preferred the company of women and hated working with most men. Even doing ordinary tasks such as laundry, women would sit together and talk out their problems. His Aunt Carolina always told him that women were far more reasonable than men, if you just explained yourself to them. As Edgar went through his life, he had never found Aunt Caro to be wrong. Men, more often than not, would dig in their heels and argue with you even as you tried to explain things to them.

When Edgar got back onboard the Falcon, he found that Sabin was chanting a slow meditation to Rose. Rose face looked serene as Sabin chanted to the two of them.

Setzer, seeing Edgar, motioned for Edgar to join him in his lounge.

Silently Edgar followed Setzer. 

“Did I see Owen running away crying a few minutes ago?”

“Yes. I gave him some twenty licks with a belt,” answered Edgar.

“He deserved it. It took Sabin quite a while to get her to stop crying. Rose thought you were going to be angry with her for ruining the things that you had just gotten her.”

“She did nothing wrong,” Edgar objected.

“I know, but Rose needs to know that.”

“Huh.” Edgar didn’t say anything else. He began to think of how to approach Rose and let her know he wasn’t angry with her. He began to rub his chin. 

“I wonder how Terra manages with all these kids,” he mumbled to himself.

“As best she can,” said Setzer. “I mean no offense to Terra but sometimes she could use a good man around. She loves her kids and does her best but there are so many of them that she sometimes has a tough time enforcing discipline. That’s part of why Owen has gotten away with so much for so long. A man would never have let it get this out of hand.”

“Are you proposing that we set Terra up with a husband?” asked Edgar. He found the idea of another man around Terra repulsive. 

“No, I’m not suggesting that at all. Only that Terra could use a good man.”

“Are you suggesting yourself?” Edgar found himself jealous. 

Setzer read the jealousy in Edgar’s eyes. My old friend, You don’t know. Do you? he thought. 

“Me? I don’t know the first thing about children! Besides, That would be a colossal waste of all the time I have spent wooing Maria! Nevermind, Edgar. Terra seems to be doing just fine on her own in the men department.”

Edgar was confused. “Who then.”

Setzer shook his head, “Nevermind. Go see Rose. She and Sabin should be about finished meditating.”

“Are you suggesting myself? I know as little about children as you do. Why would Terra even want someone with my sordid past?”

“You seem to be able to handle Rosie just fine. With her temperament, that’s saying something. As far as your past goes, so long as you keep your philandering ways in the past, that shouldn’t be much of a barrier between you and Terra either. Remember, Edgar, for all the women you have seen and known, you were every bit as lost and lonely as Terra was, when you first met her. You have helped each other find yourselves in a way no one else has ever been able to.” 

“And your advice?” asked Edgar. 

“Don’t push Terra too hard. Keep being the close friends you have always been and it shouldn’t take too much for her real feelings to come out. Keep being a helping hand with the children. When Terra is ready, she will let you know she is ready for a change between the two of you.” 

“Now go see Rosie,” said Setzer. “She’s been waiting for you.”

Edgar’s head was full of thoughts as he walked out onto the deck. Rose was sitting in a chair looking over the railing. 

“Feeling better, Rose?”

Rose started at the sound of his voice and hunched into herself. She was still in her dressing gown from that morning.

“Are you mad at me?” came Rose’s soft question. 

“No. I’m not mad at you. No one could have know that Owen would have pulled such a cruel trick.”

“Am I in trouble now?”

“I had promised you that the next time he pulled a stunt like that you wouldn’t be. I refused to break my promise to you. I know why you fought Owen. He got punished. I want to make sure that you are all right.”

“How did you punish Owen?”

“Twenty lashes with a good stout belt.”

“I saw him running away crying.”

“Hopefully, he will remember the lesson.”

Rose began to cry again. Edgar went to her picked her up, settled her in his lap and let her cry. Rose had a lot of pent up anguish. Rose clung to him as she got caught up in the maelstrom of her emotions. Edgar began to rock her and stroke her hair as he let Rose cry herself out.

Terra had gone aboard the Falcon to collect Rose when she saw Rose in Edgar’s lap asleep. Edgar had a gentle expression on his face as he held Rose. Terra had never thought she would see what kind of a father Edgar could be until now. 

“You know. Whoever wins his heart, he will devote himself to,” came a soft whisper. It was Setzer. “Edgar is a family man at heart. You can tell by how gentle he is with Rosie.”

Terra blushed. “What about all his lady “friends”? Would Edgar be able to stay faithful?”

Setzer smiled at Terra, “As I said, the woman who holds his heart, will have his devotion. Edgar might pretend otherwise, but he wants to love and be loved like anyone else. A good woman would make being King and all those petty responsibilities that much easier for him to bear.”

Terra shook her head, “I don’t know that kind of love.”

“You love your children don’t you? Love is multifaceted. There is the love of children and the love of being a mother. At its root, though, there is another kind of love. The love between men and women. Without this kind of love, how do women become pregnant and give birth to children? How are families formed and how do they stay together? It all starts when two people fall in love and get married.” 

Terra got annoyed, “You marry him then. Edgar doesn’t even look at me the way he does those other women.”

“Maybe Edgar respects you a good deal more than he respects the women who flock themselves around him.”

With that Setzer walked away. 

Terra was left to her confused thoughts.

Terra stepped out onto the deck. Edgar smiled at Terra as she approached. 

“Rose is sleeping,” said Edgar softly. “She had a good cry and then promptly fell asleep. I didn’t want to disturb her”

Terra smiled at Edgar. “I came to bring her back downstairs and get her dressed. Even if it’s cut down dresses, it will do for today.”

Rose began to stir.

“Mama? Is that you?” she said drowsily.

“Yes, sweetheart. I wanted to see if you have eaten breakfast yet.”

“Uncle Sabin and Setzer gave me eggs, bacon, and toast.”

“A breakfast feast, then,” said Terra. Most of what she had to serve was porridge. It was hot and plentiful for keeping all the children’s bellies full. Eggs and bacon were a rare treat for them. Their chickens weren’t old enough to gather fresh eggs from regularly.

“Come, sweetie. We have to gather your things to pack. Don’t worry about your new clothes. Emma, Carrie and the others have washed them all and they are drying right now. It’s a good thing I kept that beautiful velvet dress Edgar bought in my room to pack. That would have been permanently ruined.”

Terra held out her hand to Rose. Rose sat up and gave Edgar a kiss on the cheek and a hug.

Edgar blushed. 

“Thank you, Uncle Edgar. Tell Uncle Sabin thank you for me too.”

Edgar kissed Rose on the cheek. “I’ll see you later, Rosie.”


	10. DuBose Castle

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING! Very Edgar fantasies here. I just had to pick on him a little. Nothing too bad though.

Terra took Rose downstairs. Terra was telling Rose the things she need Rose to do. 

“Rose works fast,” chuckled Sabin. “She has already wrapped you around her finger.”

“What do you mean?” said Edgar, annoyed.

“She has you wrapped around her finger. The way all girls get their father’s wrapped around their fingers,” laughed Sabin.

“I am hardly her father,” protested Edgar.

“But she is our kinswoman, no matter what. In spite of Terra, Rose’s well being will ultimately wind up your responsibility. You can leave her in Terra’s care for now. In time, she will need to learn about administration and all the various other details of ruling.”

“As if I needed more responsibilities,” Edgar frowned. “How about an afternoon trip to DuBose castle, Sabin? Let’s see if we can get Rose’s birth record. I think its only a half hour or so walk from here.”

“You might have to pack a sword, Edgar. There are still wild creatures all over the Veldt.”

Edgar nodded at Sabin. 

After a two hour walk and a minor encounter with some scorpions, Edgar, Locke, and Sabin arrived at DuBose castle. The Cataclysm had badly damaged the structure. The drawbridge was down and the greenery was either dead or badly overgrown. 

They cautiously crossed the bridge and entered the castle itself.

There was a smell as they entered that stank of old death and animals. The Light of Judgment had spared the castle, so there were no sign of fire. Tapestries that had once hung in the hallways were now ruined and on the floor. Locke took out one of his bandanas and tied it to cover his nose and mouth. Edgar and Sabin took their cues from him and tied a handkerchief in a similar manner. 

“What are you looking for, Edgar?” asked Locke. 

“Birth records, journals, letters, any sort of documents that may pertain to Rose. I hope I can find the Duke’s seal to take back.”

“Why would Rose’s birth record be here and not in Mobliz?”

“No matter how much my cousin Chris hated it, Rose was born a high ranked noble. Chris was the son of a Duke and a Princess. Rose was his daughter. Since the then-Duke Matthew was childless, both Chris and his daughter were the next in line to become either the Duke or the Duchess. Since Matthew died first, Chris became the unconfirmed Duke of the Veldt. Now that both Matthew and Christopher are both dead, that title passes on to Rose. It’s her birthright.” answered Edgar.

“Since she has always been a potential heir for the Duchy, her birth would have been recorded officially by the Duke. It reduces succession wars if someone were to argue about Rose taking over as Duchess. Since she is only four, as her highest ranked kinsman, it falls to me to decide about her care. It also falls to me to care for the duchy until Rose can re-raise the DuBose banner,” finished Edgar. 

“So I guess that means no treasure hunting for you, Locke,” said Sabin slyly.

“Your Aunt Carolina was a Princess?” asked Locke. 

“Of course. She was the daughter of a King. Carolina cared little for titles herself and preferred to be thought of as a Knight, but she was still a Royal Princess. Her hand in marriage was valuable. Sabin would do well to remember that in spite of everything he is still a Royal Prince. I’d have to do some research in Figaro Castle, but I think Rose even has a title or two in Figaro, because of her close kinship to me,” said Edgar. 

Sabin rubbed his chin. “It’s been years since we’ve been here Edgar. Where should we start to look for Rose’s birth records?”

Edgar smiled. “Let’s see...”

They didn’t return until dusk. Celes had been surprised to see the three men riding in a chocobo drawn wagon. 

“Wherever did you go?”

“DuBose castle,” answered Locke. “Edgar and Sabin found a bunch of family documents that they say need to be preserved at Figaro Castle.”

“Did you find Rose’s birth record?” asked Celes.

“I did, among other papers. I also found her family tree which confirms that I am her closest kinsman.” cut in Edgar. “It will take me a week to put everything together, but I can confirm that Rose is indeed the Duchess of the Veldt.” 

Celes wrinkled her nose as the men approached her. “Something smells like it died!”

In spite of the late hour, Terra and her children were busy getting their things packed. Rose was left by herself playing with her doll in a corner. She wished someone would read a story to her. Rose was trying her best not to get underfoot with all the other shouting and general busy atmosphere. 

There was a knock on the door.

It was Edgar, but there was also a clinging smell to him. Rose wrinkled her nose. 

“You stink!” exclaimed Rose.

“Out of my house this instant, Edgar!” shouted Terra.

“But-”

“NOW!! I don’t want that smell lingering in here!!”

Edgar withdrew confused. Then he remembered the smells of being in DuBose castle.

As he retreated, he saw Locke and Sabin being forced off the Falcon with sheepish looks on their faces. Sabin was carrying a tent. Locke had a tin portable bathtub.

“GENTLEMEN!” Celes shouted from above. “Here are pots for hot water! Don’t come back until you have bathed and burned your clothes. I will also throw down soap, towels and clean clothes for you!”

“We only have one small tub,” protested Locke.

“Take turns! Flip a coin for who goes first! We don’t care! We just don’t want to smell you three anymore!!!”

Celes tossed two large pots, a pack of towels, and a bundle of clothes down to them.

“Celes, my love, where the hell are we going to get firewood!” yelled Locke. 

“Look! Terra has a covered woodpile. Use that!”

“But-” 

“NO EXCUSES!!!”

The three men looked at each other. 

“Well, Edgar. Since this expedition was your idea, you go last!” said Locke. 

“Why me?” protested Edgar. 

“Celes is now mad at me! I’ve gotten kicked out of my bedroom until I bathe! Since it was your idea to go to that stupid castle, you go last!” shouted Locke

Edgar began to help set up the tent as Locke gathered firewood for hot water. As soon as Edgar finished, Sabin placed the tub in the tent and lit a lantern for light. Since Edgar was being forced to go last, he pulled out a gil and flipped it for who was going to go first. He didn’t tell anyone it was his two-headed coin. All Locke could do was curse when Sabin won the call and got to bathe first. It was the least he could do for his brother. 

After Sabin had bathed he came out of the tent wearing only his pants. Edgar noticed he had a few bruises on his back that were not there the day before. 

“Sabin, where did you get those bruises?” asked Edgar. 

“Oh, these? A little Hellfire gave them to me this morning after I pulled her off of Owen. Tiny thing is a lot stronger than she looks,” Sabin chuckled.

Edgar whistled, “Strong thing that’s for sure.”

Sabin shrugged, “She was also at fever pitch. It doesn’t really hurt. I’ll be okay in a day or so.” he pulled on a shirt. “Anyways, I’ll be on the Falcon. See you.”

Locke was splashing around and cursing as he washed himself. He was grumbling about women and Edgar’s stupid side trip. When he emerged from the tent he was barely dry and tightening his belt. He gave Edgar an ugly look as he sauntered back to the Falcon.

Well, thought Edgar, since I don’t have to hurry my bath, I can be leisurely.

Edgar dumped out the old water and began to heat more water for himself. He undressed as the water heated up. He also untied his long hair from his customary ribbons. As he did so, he thought of the baths he was used to in Figaro Castle. He was used to bundles of fragrant herbs and sweet oils as he washed. Now that the tub was full, he squeezed into it. He was also used a large marble tub that could fit at least two people. 

He picked up the plain soap and a washcloth and began to wash himself. As he began to wash himself, he began to think of the ladies he had taken into his tub. His body began to respond to the thoughts of those women. No, he frowned, none of them were right. Edgar then began to indulge naughty thoughts about Terra in his bathtub. His body began to respond stronger. Being alone, he began to think about what her nude body would look like and what it would feel like to hold Terra in his arms. Desire coursed through Edgar’s body as he thought of her.

“Who put this tent out here?” came the voice of Terra.

Edgar’s eyes flew open at the sound of her voice. He sat bolt upright in the tub. 

“WHO’S THERE?” Terra demanded. 

“I’m sorry, Terra. It’s me,” responded Edgar. “I’ve been kicked out of the Falcon until I’ve bathed.”

“Oh! Sorry Edgar! I didn’t mean to interrupt your bath. I’m just taking the girls for a final trip to the outhouse for the night. We will be out of your hair soon.”

Hearing her voice didn’t do a damn thing to quell his desire. All it did was remind him how close she was. Edgar sat still in the tub until he heard them all go back inside. It was going to be a long night for him.

After the ladies left, Edgar quickly finished his bath and washed his hair. He dried himself and put on clean undergarments and pants. He left the clean shirt off. With his long hair being wet it would soak the shirt and leave him cold. Edgar saw where the others had left their dirty clothes and quickly boarded the Falcon. He then went to the small private room where he had his personal affects. Edgar then groomed his thick blond hair. With it being damp instead of wet he put on the clean shirt. He would not put on his customary ribbons and scarves until his hair fully dried. He learned early on putting them on before his hair would dry would make the colors of his ribbons run and stain his hair.

Edgar then gathered the documents he had gotten from DuBose Castle. He needed to go over several of them. There had even been a sealed letter to himself. Edgar was pretty sure that he needed to open that in the presence of his Chancellor. He wanted ensure that no one could claim any impropriety, even though the letter had been addressed to himself. 

Edgar began to sort through the papers. Really, there were too many for his small bedside table. Edgar gathered the documents then went out to the main galley of the Falcon. He settled at a large table and sorted through the papers.

“Need any help?”

It was Terra. 

Edgar smiled at Terra, “Please join me.”

“What is all this stuff?” Terra asked.

“The letters and documents from the DuBose family.”

“Does this have to do with Rosie?” Terra asked softly.

Edgar nodded at Terra. “How did you know? I asked that this be kept private until I had more information for you.”

Terra smiled. “I have been in this village a lot longer than you have, Edgar. I went to the basement where Rosie was found. I had seen the shield. I have read the diary and letters left there. The letter first. I was so surprised to see that a letter had been addressed to you that I couldn’t help but read it. Afterwards I read the diary. It wasn’t until you talked about your family did it all fit together. You are Rosie’s legal guardian, aren’t you?”

Edgar looked at Terra directly. She was looking out at a distance. He could see the hurt in her eyes of the possibility of losing one of her orphans. 

“Terra, you have to know one thing, before we talk about anything else. I am in no way taking her out of your care. I have plenty of time to spare for her here, but once I’m back in Figaro, I won’t anymore. That is not good for Rose.” Edgar’s voice was firm.

Terra looked at Edgar and wiped the tears she had been holding in. “Thank you,” was all she said. 

Edgar got up and sat next to Terra. He pulled out one of his ever present handkerchiefs and dabbed her eyes. She is so vulnerable, even now, he thought. He bent down and kissed her cheek. Terra blushed a rosy red. Edgar smiled at her and gave her a hug. 

Terra pushed him away with a laugh.

“Stop that, Edgar. I am not one of your conquests.”

Edgar sighed, “No, you’re not. You mean much more to me than some conquest.”

Edgar got up and resumed his seat. Terra then realized that Edgar was dead serious. Looking closer, she then realized that he was much more vulnerable than he liked people to know. He was allowing himself to be that vulnerable for her. Terra began to blush again. Celes would think that she was crazy for thinking that Edgar might ever be serious with her. Terra made a decision. 

She scooted her chair to sit next to Edgar.

“So,” she said. “Where do we begin?”

Edgar blushed faintly and gave Terra a real smile, full of warmth.

“Well, to start...” 

Edgar began to explain the letters and what he had read in the diaries and Journal’s so far. He even showed Terra Rose’s birth record. Turned out her first name really was Rose. Chris DuBose’s diary explained that he didn’t want his daughter to be overshadowed with his famous mother’s achievements. He wanted for Rose to become known for what she did in her life. 

“He was trying to give Rose as clean a slate as possible for life,” said Edgar. “The problem is that after Carolina and Ken died, Matthew took over. Matthew- was completely different. From what I can tell from Matthews journals, he preferred to give his love to other men instead of women. There is no mention of names, but it’s pretty plain that he would have encounters with those men.”

“Huh,” said Sabin. He sat down across from Edgar and Terra. “I had wondered why the Chancellor would let you chase the women around Figaro Castle. But its pretty obvious it’s a different issue altogether. Even if they arranged a marriage for you, Edgar, you can still father an heir pretty easily. Matthew probably couldn’t even perform for a woman.”

Edgar nodded, “Correct. The Chancellor also knows that even now, I am very young to be King. I have plenty of chances to marry and father children. That’s why we have agreed to wait until I am forty for an arranged marriage, if I have not wed. Matthew never would. He had written in his personal diary the pressures of trying to even like women. But while he is fond of women generally, they never did anything for him, sexually.” 

“How old was your father when he became King?” cut in Celes. She sat next to Sabin. 

“He was thirty five when he married our mother,” answered Sabin. “We were ten when he was crowned King, after our grandfather. So about forty five or so.”

“Now the reason this concerns Rose is that since Matthew couldn’t father children, Chris’s daughter is placed in succession for the duchy. Since both Matthew and Chris are dead, Rose is the Duchess of the Veldt.” said Edgar. “Also, being a direct line descendant of my grandfather, she is also in contention for the throne of Figaro. Sabin is second in succession, Rose is third.” 

“I hope you find some lady to have you, Edgar. I don’t have a clue about how to be a King,” said Sabin dryly.

Terra looked sharply at Edgar.

“Something worries you though, doesn’t it?” she asked shrewdly.

Edgar smiled and nodded at Terra’s shrewdness. 

“Yes. Go back to the family tree. You can see that myself and Sabin are the closest relatives to the DuBose family. On My Uncle Ken’s side, there is a fourth cousin to Rose. A Baron Markus DeMille. Now he...is interesting. He is a known sympathizer to the Gestahlian Empire. I believe he was promised to be elevated to the Duke of the Veldt, if he allowed for the Empire to land its Magitek devices and armor in his territory and allow them to pass into the Veldt.”

“An odious and shifty eyed man, if I recall,” murmured Celes.

Locke ran to the table, “Wait, Baron DeMille?”

“Yes. Have you heard of him?” asked Edgar.

“Yeah. I have. Horrible reputation. If he wanted to be the Duke of the Veldt, he would have no reservations about killing a little girl.”

Edgar’s face became grim. “We need to get back to Figaro Castle. I would feel much better if we are all inside its walls.”

“That’s what I came to tell you Edgar. We are ready to go whenever you are,” said Terra. 

Edgar nodded. “Okay. Tomorrow we will load up and go immediately to Figaro. Terra, don’t tell Rosie anything about this. Not yet. Not until I am certain that she is secure. Right now she thinks she is an ordinary little girl. We will leave her as such for the moment.”


	11. They Just Click

The next day started early. It had been pure chaos getting all of the crates from Terra’s house loaded onto the airship.

Rose had been put into one of the small private rooms while she was still asleep. It kept her out from underfoot while the airship was loaded. Rose had barely awoken when there was a knock at the door.

“Are you awake, my little friend?” It was Edgar’s voice.

Rose smiled and bounced from the bed to the door. She smiled when she saw that Edgar was just as rumpled and drowsy as she was. 

Edgar smiled at Rose. “Just woke up, I see. I came to let you know that your dress is in the closet. Terra also told me to tell you that your combs and hairbrushes are in a bag on the same hanger. Get dressed. I will take care of your hair. After everyone is settled we should be taking off. Breakfast will be served after we are airborne.” 

“Yes, Uncle Edgar.”

Rose opened the closet and found that her new green dress was cleaned pressed and looked just like new. She pulled on all the appropriate undergarments, stockings and shoes. She had just finished putting the dress on, she walked out the door when she was almost run over by Sabin, who was carrying a large chest and didn’t see her.

Edgar grabbed Rose and pulled her back. “We need to be careful. No one wants you to get hurt because they can’t see you.”

Edgar himself was half dressed. He was wearing what appeared to be knee length breeches in white silk with a pair of knee high, polished black boots. He was wearing a plain linen undershirt with his long blond hair hanging loose down to his waist. 

Edgar held out his hand to Rose. “Come, let’s fix our hair and wait for takeoff. Let’s see what sort of things you have to dress up your hair.”

A half an hour later Rose was in a state of shock. Edgar expressed dissatisfaction with her small collection of barrettes and gave Rose a beautiful green hair ribbon to put in her hair. He was now gently combing her hair. 

“You’re gentle. My sisters tend to yank on my hair as they comb it.”

“They use the fine toothed combs, don’t they? I can tell by how bent they are. You and I have a similarly thick hair. Fine toothed combs are no good for hair as thick as ours. Those combs only catch in it and yank on the scalp. It causes a lot of breakage. I’m using the wide toothed comb. It is made to not catch on thicker hair and the teeth are strong enough not to bend and break the hair. Now that all the tangles are out, I will give it a good brushing to give your hair some polish and shine. Then because we are flying on the airship I will give you a nice long braid. That will keep the winds from knotting it back up. The ribbon will add a splash of complementing color.”

“Uncle Edgar who taught you this stuff? I thought as a king, servants would fix your hair for you.”

Edgar laughed. “Actually, Rose, the castle barbers have been itching to cut off my hair since I was twelve. When I was a boy, I knew a hairdresser in South Figaro who always loved its thickness. She would invite me to her hairdressing parlor to comb, trim and style it. She taught me how to care for such thick hair. Mary once had a seminar for apprentice hairdressers. It shocked them when they saw Mary working on the head of their king. Mary is long since retired, but I still visit her every so often so she can once again trim it. She always says it’s the highlight of her retirement.” 

Edgar and Rose continued to laugh and tell jokes as Edgar finished Rose’s hair and proceeded to groom and style his own.

Rose got a sense on enjoyment when she found the braid had a tendency to whip satisfactorily. Edgar laughed at her as she played in this way. He went to a side closet and pulled out a large box. 

“Now Rose, I have two things for you.” Edgar opened the box. It was filled with wide brimmed straw hats that tied to the head with scarves. It also contained white knitted shawls. 

“Figaro is not like Mobliz at all. The deserts are scorching hot in the day and bone chilling cold at night. You and many of your sisters are fair skinned. I want each and every one of you to put on a hat such as this, every time you go outside. This will keep the desert sun from burning your fair skin. Keep your arms and necks covered with the white shawl as well. The sun can be deadly to those who are unprepared. Figaro Castle itself has specialized mechanics to keep the indoors relatively cool in the day and warm at night. However, when you go outside even into the courtyard, it will be very easy to sunburn. Get a bad enough sunburn and it can kill you.” Edgar’s face was dead serious. 

Terra cut in, “That’s right. All of you girls need to abide by this. For the duration we are at Figaro Castle, keep both hats and shawls close by. I do not want to have to nurse any one of you from Desert Fever. The sunburn associated with Desert Fever is so bad you will be in extreme pain just lying on a bed.”

Sabin stepped in, “For you boys, I have a box of white linen shirts. They serve the same purpose as the ladies shawls. I also have men’s straw hats to cover your face and heads with.” 

Everyone grabbed a hat then a shawl or linen shirt. The hats were way too big for Rose. No matter what she did to get it to stay on her head it flopped down and covered her face.

Sabin knelt down to Rose. “Too big Rosie? Hmm, the shawl is also on the big side for you. If we cover your head desert-style it should turn the trick until we can see the weavers and get a hat small enough for you.” 

“We don’t need to do that just yet, Sabin. We are still hours from Figaro Castle and I’m pretty sure Rose is hungry,” cut in Edgar. “For now keep the shawl around your shoulders drawn tight across your elbows, Rose. It will be cold going as fast as Setzer is going to want to go. He was talking about needing to go to Jidoor tonight and explain himself to Maria.” 

They had just become airborne when breakfast was served in the downstairs galley. It was a buffet style breakfast that had all of the adults and children getting food and finding a corner to eat it in. 

Rose ate her breakfast silently as the others chatted and joked. She was kneeling in a chair really wanting to take a look outside. The galley itself had tables, chairs and sofas. Rose found some of the machines on a raised platform noisy and annoying. The porthole sized windows still weren’t big enough to take a really good look outside. 

Rose sat with her doll, Lina, and began to mumble a conversation to her. It was about the inside being boring, and wanting to see more. As Rose played make believe with Lina. In Rose’s little mind Lina agreed about wanting to go outside. No one paid any attention to her as she quietly sneaked up the stairs and out onto the flight deck of the Falcon. 

Unlike her previous trip with Edgar, the wind howled about her as the airship flew. Rose loved every minute of it. The air itself was cold but for some reason it resonated inside of her. Her long braided hair whipped behind her and Rose whooped and called out in pure joy. 

Setzer looked at little Rosie as she delighted in the speed of the Falcon. He smiled at her delight and called out to her.

“Come here, Rosie! Together, we shall brave the skies!” he called to her. 

Rosie walked over to Setzer by his steering wheel. 

“There is nothing like the freedom of the skies!” he called. They beamed at one another as the land whipped beneath them. 

Edgar was standing by the flight deck and watched Rose enjoy herself. As much they were having fun earlier, it was nothing as the happiness on her face right now.

“Edgar, have you seen...” came Terra’s voice.

Terra’s jaw dropped as she looked at Rose. “Go, get her Edgar!”

“Why? Rose is having the time of her life right now. Setzer won’t let anything happen.”

“It’s dangerous out there, Edgar!”

“Setzer knows what he is doing. If he thought it was too dangerous, he would have made her go inside,” he said in a reasonable tone. The truth was that Terra had always been a little of afraid of airships ever since Setzer’s original ship, the Blackjack, had broken apart in the Cataclysm due to falling debris. They had all been lucky to survive, but Terra had a fear of airships ever since and stayed in the galley whenever they flew anywhere.

“Edgar...”

“If it makes you feel better I will try, but I make no promises, Terra. Rose is enjoying herself and should be allowed to. She is not fighting nor is she getting into trouble with the other kids.” 

“MAMA!!!” came a shout from below deck. 

Terra looked ready to argue with Edgar, but the call of the other children took her back downstairs. 

Edgar approached both Rose and Setzer. 

“Edgar! Edgar! Isn’t this amazing?! Everything is so pretty from up here! The wind feels so alive!” Rose was jumping for joy. 

Edgar chuckled and picked Rose up into his arms. He had a good grip on her as they approached the railing together. His blond braid and her red braid whipped in the wind together. Edgar began to point out landmarks and told Rose what they were. He explained about the oceans and how they move. The other children looked at Edgar and Rose as they had fun together. 

After a while, Edgar noticed that Rose was starting to get cold. 

“Come, Rose, it’s time for you to have some tea to warm up. Your Mama is already angry with me because I didn’t want to bring you back downstairs immediately.”

Rose reluctantly agreed. She was cold. The downstairs was just too boring after being on the deck. She had felt alive up there, racing towards a new life.

Terra wanted to be mad at Edgar. The pure happiness on both Rose and Edgar’s face made her stop. She had never seen Rose so happy before. This was Edgar’s last bit of freedom before they arrived at Figaro Castle.

“Those two are becoming close,” commented Celes. “It won’t be long before they become pretty inseparable.”

Terra sighed, “Edgar told me he wouldn’t take Rose away from my care.”

“I don’t think he means to. They just click together. Even after we get back to Figaro, he will find some way to make time for Rose. It’s a special bond. You will make them both unhappy if you try to break it.” 

“Are you saying that I don’t click with her?”

“Terra, no! I am not saying that. What I am saying that they understand each other on a level that’s special. The way father’s bond with their daughters. Besides once Edgar clears up everything as far as who and what Rose really is, she will need his guardianship and guidance. She will have to learn to become a Lady. Edgar and his Court are the only way she is going to learn those things.”

“KUPO!” came a shouted greeting.

Terra and Celes turned away from each other.

Edgar started in surprise and smiled. Rose frowned.

“Come, Rose. Let me introduce you to someone!” Edgar held out his hand to Rose who grabbed it enthusiastically. They went back out to the deck of the Falcon. The strangest, and cutest creature Rose ever laid eyes on had landed on the deck.

“Mog!” shouted Edgar as he held out his hand. 

Mog was furling his pink bat like wings to his back. He was just a little taller than Rose, with bright white fur and long whiskers and a huge pink puff ball nose. He had a puff ball like antenna on his head and a larger puff ball tail. He looked like some sort of cross between a really fat cat and a bunny rabbit. He was holding a spear in one hand. 

He looked like the sort of stuffed toy Rose had always dreamed and drooled about but could never afford to own. Rose held back from the creature shyly.

“Kupo, Ku-pop, Edgar! Who is the little fire headed girl?” asked the creature.

“Mog, this is Rose. She’s one of Terra’s girls. Rose, this is Mog the Moogle. Mog has known your Mama from almost the beginning of our adventures together.” 

“Kupo, Rose and nice to meet you! Is Terra here?” 

The moogle seemed to be excited with the news that Terra was on the airship. 

“Mama is downstairs,” replied Rose shyly. As cute as Mog may be, he seemed to be taking quite a good look at Rose. It was making her uncomfortable.

Mog held out a furry paw like hand. “Why don’t you show me, Kupo?”

Mog seemed to take Rose’s shyness in stride. When Rose took Mog downstairs the other children only held back for a moment, after Mog enthusiastically greeted Terra, Celes and the others, they began to crowd the moogle. Rose went to go sit in a chair. As much as she wanted to go upstairs she could tell by how Mama and Celes were looking at her they wanted her to remain below.

Edgar remained in the shadows of the galley. He wanted to observe the others. He noticed that even when Rose was with the other children she was always separate. It was as if Rose instinctively knew she was different than them. Edgar could tell she was lonely as she gazed out the window. All those children, and she was still all alone.

Edgar noticed the other children were fussing over Mog, but Mog was observing Rose as closely as he was. Then again, Mog had been a chieftain of moogles. He knew all about looking for what others don’t always see. Mog would tell him why he had come later.

Setzer came downstairs and walked to Edgar. “We are about a half hour away from South Figaro, Edgar.”

Edgar sighed. It was time to be King again. He caught Sabin’s eye and gestured for him to follow Edgar to his small quarters. As he got there Edgar began to finish getting dressed. He had kept his clothing as simple as possible for as long as he could, but as soon as they landed he would be King Edgar Roni Figaro again. Part of Edgar wanted to kidnap little Rose and live a simple life as her parent.

Edgar shook his head, it was an impossible dream. He made his decision long ago. There was no going back on his decision. He would repay Aunt Caro poorly if he gave up the throne and turned his back on her duchy. Edgar tied the belt that held his ceremonial sword. Sometimes he wished he was still strapping on Lightbringer. Edgar put on his heavily embroidered formal coat. He looked in the mirror, almost there. 

“Need help with your cape?” came the voice of Sabin. 

“Please.” 

“You wanted to see me?”

“Yes. Please hold onto Rose. She has never seen me in my proper role and I’m afraid that this is going to be a bit of a surprise to her. She doesn’t know any of the formalities or protocols of the Court.”

“Are you okay?”

“I’m fine, mostly.”

Sabin’s eyes were penetrating. Sabin never pretended to be the smartest man in the world, but he knew his twin.

“It’s just, it hurts a little. The person who walked into this room was Rose’s trusted friend. The person who walks out is an institution. Rose will never be able to forget that and it hurts.”

“You know, Rose is pretty resilient. She will learn to able to separate her friend from the institution. Give her a little time,” said Sabin. 

Edgar nodded. He looked in the mirror. There was the King of Figaro in all his glory, he thought sarcastically. He was as ready as he would ever be. He was just glad he wouldn’t be holding audiences for another two days. That meant he needed to wear the Crown Jewels with everything else. If the formalities like this were bad for Rose, it would be shocking seeing him dressed for audiences.

Sabin left the cabin. Edgar knew he could not delay it anymore. 

He walked out of the cabin. Most of Terra’s children stared in silent respect of Mama’s friend, the King. Edgar looked for only one face. 

Rose was frowning. Sabin was ready to intervene if needed.

“Where’s the Crown?” she asked. “I thought Kings were supposed to wear Crowns! Was that stupid storybook wrong again, Uncle Edgar?”

Edgar choked the breath he didn’t know he was holding. He started to laugh hysterically as he went to his knee and opened his arms for Rose. Rose ran to his arms, “Thank you, Rose. You have no idea how much I needed that.” He kissed her forehead.


	12. The Noise

“Now, everyone. This is going to be ceremonial. Stay back with Mama. There are quite a few people who think that because I’m the King that no one should touch me while I am in my formal capacity. At least without my permission. I try my best to get the formalities done in the morning but since I’ve been away a few days, people are going to keep pushing forms and petitions on me for a day or two. I have already asked my people to get a whole tower ready for usage. Take that time to settle in while I dispense with formalities. Sabin is going to stay close by in case you need anything.”

“It’s not the same since the last time I was here, is it Edgar?” asked Terra softly. 

“Not quite, no. Since Figaro has been doing most of the work rebuilding this part of the world, Figaro has become a center for commerce. Most people seeking audiences are just people rebuilding and trying to get necessary goods and services. I am also starting to get requests for a new class of future knights. Since a lot of nobles vassal states are now vacant I also get petitioners about vacant lands and titles.”

The airship slowed down. 

“Come on up! See us approach South Figaro and then Figaro Castle!” called Setzer.

Everyone crowded upstairs to see what was going to be there new home. Rosie followed them but was thinking about what Edgar had just said. It felt like she was losing a friend. Rose didn’t like that one bit.

“Is something wrong, Rose?” asked Celes.

Rose shook her head and looked away. Celes wasn’t fooled, but kept to herself. If Rose didn’t want to talk she wouldn’t. Rose continued to stare out into the approaching harbor town. It was bustling with people. Rose had never seen so many people before. 

“It will be alright, Rose,” Edgar was looking directly at her. 

“Will I see you anymore?” Rose asked softly.

“Not as much as you or I would like.”

“I’ll miss you.”

“I know. I’ll miss you too.”

Rose was surprised at the amount of people stopping what they were doing to wave to the airship and King Edgar. Rose also noted how some people were waving and shouting to Mama. Edgar was waving back. Seeing all those people down there. She wondered why would he pay any more attention to her.

Celes watched Edgar and Rose turned their backs and hide the tears they were wiping from their eyes. Celes wished things could be different for them. They couldn’t be. Not yet. Rose needed to be normal for a little while longer. Edgar had to run his kingdom.

“You were right,” Terra’s voice was soft. “They will never like being separated for long.”

Mog approached Rose. “Do you know the story of the strongest Swordlady of them all, Kupo?”

Rose looked at Mog. Now that he was addressing her directly she could see his sharp blue eyes. “No.”

“Well, she sure as faerie fire knows you! Toughest and bravest thing you will ever meet! She is the guardian of the Oasis! Some say she is the Guardian of Figaro itself! A beautiful red-head just like you! Come here and let me tell you the story of the Swordlady!”

Rose smiled and sat next to Mog.

“Now, here is this first story, “The Swordlady and the Robber King”... 

After his story Rose was frowning. “You said she could use magic?”

Mog’s eyes were looking at Rose closely, “I did, Kupo.”

“But I thought that magic was used by Esper’s or people who have used magicite in the past,” said Rose. “At least that’s what Mama says.” 

“Good point, but Esper magic has never been the entirety of magic. Esper magic is just the noisiest, loudest, and flashiest magic. When the Espers vanished from this world, only Esper magic vanished with them. Look at me! I’m still alive and I still use magic.”

“Then what are you?”

“I’m a faerie creature. The Swordlady is a faerie creature. Esper’s have left this world and according to us faeries, Good Riddance! That kind of magic is what almost killed the world. Not Faerie Magic. Our magic is best used to aid those we have deemed worthy of it’s power. Figaro is a good kingdom and so long as it remains that way the Swordlady uses faerie magic to guard Figaro.”

Rose’s eyebrows furrowed in thought. 

“See what I mean, Kupo? We have been in the burning hot sun for more than an hour and you haven’t even noticed. Everyone had gotten off the airship except you and I and no one will notice until I let them. Except Edgar. He is unusually resistant to faerie magic. Probably because as King, the Swordlady protects him. She asked for me to come to you and protect you. Said people would pay less attention to me than to her. She’s right. A faerie that magnificent is sure to attract the wrong attention.”

All of a sudden there was a pop like the breaking of pressure.

“Ah, there you are Rose! Have you been here the whole time with Mog?” It was Setzer.

“Yes.”

“Your mother is looking for you. Let me take you to the tower you will be staying for the time being.” Setzer was shaking his head as if clearing fog. 

Edgar was in his study. Terra’s children had all been amazed by the castle and were joyous at the amenities of the tower they were all living in. Duane and Katarin was shocked at the small private apartment. 

The only person who hadn’t given her opinion was Rose. He had seen Mog gather Rose in the corner of the airship and start to tell her stories. It had kept Rose busy and out from underfoot as everyone else had been anxious to get out of the airship. It had hurt a little bit when she missed the pageantry of the Castle Guard as they entered the Castle. 

Edgar had worried for about three minutes when all of a sudden people realized they couldn’t find Rose. He then heard the all clear when she and Mog where found at the same corner on the airship they had been in the entire time. 

Edgar stared out his study window and wondered at the changes that happened and were continuing to happen to him. Rose had changed something fundamental about him. Edgar shook his head. He needed to get to work. The sooner his desk was cleared the sooner he could find time to spend with Terra, Rose and the others.

There was a message on his desk stating that Sam Davidson was beginning his exile the very next evening. Good. That means Terra can start to inspect that house the day after. The children had been amazed by the size of the tower they were borrowing. They were going to get the shock of their lives when they saw the size of their new home. 

There was a knock on the door.

“Enter,” he commanded.

“Your Majesty, the Chancellor wishes to see you.”

“Send him in, please. Also, I’m famished. Send up tea and sandwiches, please.”

The servant bowed, “Yes, your Majesty.”

A few minutes passed, “Your Majesty, the Chancellor.” the servant announced.

The Chancellor entered with another servant carrying the crate with all the documents from Mobliz and DuBose castle.

“My goodness, your Majesty! The noise of all those children!” The Chancellor was smiling. “It’s good to hear children around Figaro castle again.”

“Are they settling down?”

“As best as they can. They don’t want to completely unpack because this is temporary for them. Ms Branford argued with me when I told them that lunch had been prepared for them and was waiting in the main hall. I am also guessing she doesn’t want them to get used being served.”

“Terra thinks what I give her is too much already,” said Edgar softly.

The Chancellor frowned, “What we have given her is nothing, Sire. We owe so much to your Aunt Carolina and the DuBose family, that taking care of Carolina’s orphans is nothing! Caro would have done the same for you.”

Edgar looked at his Chancellor and smiled, “Your right, my old friend. I think I have found a way to repay Figaro’s debt to Uncle Ken and Aunt Caro and the rest of the DuBose family. See that crate? Let’s go to the Royal Vault and open it. I want all the documents in it stored for the future. What is on the agenda for tomorrow?”

“A minor petition requesting mayoral and city council elections in South Figaro. Now that Sam Davidson is being exiled, they want those elections to get the rest of things fixed in South Figaro.”

“Get an uninterested third witness in the Vault at around ten o’clock. There are some documents that are sealed that I want official records on the opening of them.” Edgar reached into his pocket. “Also put this in with the Crown Jewels. I don’t want anyone to touch it until the time is right.” He pulled out what appeared to be a stamp out of his pocket.

“What is this?”

“It’s the official Seal of the Duchy of the Veldt. I want it kept safe in our vault for the time being. Now, I would like you to request for Ms Branford to join us in the Vault tomorrow. I want her to see what is unopened. I will explain the rest to you as we go through the documents in the crate. I am making this an official State Secret. You will understand why as we go through the documents.” 

An hour later the Chancellor was frowning as he read through the DuBose Castle Documents. 

“Well, we can say for certain that the Duchy of the Veldt has become a protectorate of the Crown of Figaro.” said the Chancellor. “I myself have heard rumors about this Markus DeMille. He is rumored to be getting ready to petition Figaro for an audience about goods and services. I think he is still eyeing the Veldt. It would not shock me if he were to also petition you for the Duchy. He does not know that a direct descendant of Kenneth DuBose is still alive.”

“Locke Cole states that he would not hesitate to kill a child.”

“That’s what I have heard too. Someone who would sell his soul to the Empire over a title would not let scruples stand in the way of what he wants.”

“The reasoning is strange though, The Veldt is sick. Terra has been unable to even grow a garden there. The wildlife is also sickening,” said Edgar.

“My guess is that he has always wanted the Duchy, since he believes it is vacant, he thinks now is a good time to grab it. Before he thinks that anyone else can. Your cousin Matthew wasn’t the best of Dukes. It would not have taken much to force him out of his seat. When it came to the Gestahlian Empire he was out of his depth.”

“I don’t think it helped that this Baron kept undermining him. It was bad enough when Sam Davidson betrayed us to the Empire. Can you imagine if he had been sneaking in Magitek armor and devices for years before such treason? Myself and Sabin would both be dead. God only know what they would have done to both Terra and Celes. Hell, Terra would probably still have that Slave Crown and would be mindlessly slaughtering innocents with Kefka,” said Edgar. 

They both went silent.

Edgar asked the next question, “Is that crow still hanging around the carrier pigeons?”

“He scares the poor pigeons by his presence, but has been a perfectly good gentleman. Pigeons hate smart birds. Still the bird keepers love that crow. They say he likes to leave gifts every time he is fed. Why do you ask, Sire?”

“It’s a special messenger. I need to send a special message.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feel free to comment. I don't bite.


	13. Breakfast

Later that night, Edgar had pulled out a torn bandana from his personal closet and went to the rookery where the castle’s carrier pigeons were kept. There was one bird who was different. It was a huge black crow. It had been sent to Edgar about two months after he returned from fighting Kefka. It only had a bandana in its beak. Edgar knew whose bandana it was the moment he saw it. Edgar had understood the message. If he was needed send the bird back with the bandana. It was far more discreet than either a shuriken or a dog biscuit. 

As soon as Edgar entered the rookery, the huge black crow flew down to meet him, settling on his arm.

Edgar tied the bandana to the crows foot. He gave the bird a light toss into the air and said, “Go back to your master. I have need of him.” The crow cawed several times at Edgar and swooped off to the east. Hopefully, he will come soon. 

The lights in the tower where Terra was staying were slowly being dimmed. As you walked by it you could hear the shouting of the children as they were being settled to bed. As Edgar looked he saw Rose staring out of the window into darkness. Someone was fussing at her who closed the drape and turned off the light. He hoped she was tired enough to sleep.

Edgar sighed it was time for him to try to sleep.

The next morning, Rose sneaked out of the tower before anyone else was awake and was wandering the quiet halls of Figaro Castle by herself. As soon as she walked in she smelled the delicious aromas of fresh baked bread wafting in the hallways. It made her hungry. She supposed she would have to back to the tower to eat. Still, she didn’t want to stop exploring just because she was hungry. 

She found a hallway that had several empty suits of armor as well as several shields on the wall. Opposite of the walls there were portraits of what appeared to be King’s. At least Rose assumed that because of the crowns on their heads. There was even a couple portraits of crowned women. Maybe Queens? thought Rose. The newest painting was obviously Edgar, but it was a prior painting that caught Rose’s eye. Rose could tell that there was a familial resemblance to Edgar’s except he had white hair and deep wrinkles. For some reason the portrait itself looked familiar. It was as if she had seen it before, but couldn’t place where she had seen it.

“That was my grandfather, King Elias the Wise,” a familiar voice said softly. It was Edgar. 

“I’ve seen this painting before. I just don’t know where.”

“Perhaps someday you’ll remember. What are you doing out of bed? Does Terra know you are here?”

“No. Everyone else was asleep. I wanted to go exploring. So I sneaked out.”

“You’ve made good time. As you can smell, the cooks are getting breakfast ready. Join me. I’ll send a message to your mother so she does not worry,” Edgar smiled down at Rose. They smiled at each other and chatted together as Edgar lead Rose to the Royal apartment.

The servants where all talking about Edgar and the little red haired girl as they watched them talk and joke around each other. The high priestess had to do a double take when Edgar stopped and picked up the little girl as he pointed some of his machinery out to her. If she didn’t know better she would have assumed that the child was Edgar’s own daughter. No, she couldn’t be his child. In spite of all his philandering and womanizing, Edgar had always been very careful not to father a bastard child. Still, it was obvious to her that he was fond of this child. She would corner the Chancellor later. He would know. She could force the Chancellor to talk. 

When they entered the Royal apartment, Edgar asked for breakfast for two. The servant had rolled his eyes, until he saw Rose. He hid his surprise by quickly bowing to Edgar, and left.

“Come here, Rose. I can fix your hair, while we wait.”

“Uncle Edgar?”

“Yes, Rose?”

“Why does everyone look so surprised to see us playing together?”

“They are not used to seeing me with children. I am not married and I don’t have any children. It surprises the servants because they did not think I even liked children,” answered Edgar.

“Why aren’t you married? You’re funny and so nice.”

Edgar paused while he thought on how to answer Rose. “I guess the biggest reason is that I am the King. That makes it hard to find people who like me for who I am and who I can respect because they are honest with me. People think that being a King is some great honor, but in many ways its like living in a comfortable prison. Until this whole thing with Kefka, my life and my freedom were never my own. People see the glitter and the gold, but they don’t realize it’s a prison. Too many people want the gold and not the person inside that prison. What I mean about people being honest are people like you and your Mama who know Edgar the person, not his Majesty the King. I want the person I marry to love Edgar, not his Majesty.”

“I heard Emma say that she thinks you like Mama.”

Edgar half chuckled, “Do you believe Emma?”

“Yes. I do. You try to help Mama. You try to be honest with Mama even when she doesn’t like it. You must like her a lot to try to help as much as you do.”

“You’re a very clever girl,” Edgar started putting ribbons in Rose’s hair. “You’re right, I do like your mother. A lot. She doesn’t take me seriously. For that I have only myself to blame. There are times when I wish she would listen to me and not others. I wish I knew how to make her believe that I am being sincere. Until then, I do my best.”

A servant walked in carrying a large tray, “Breakfast, Sire.” 

The servant placed it on a table and left with a bow. 

“It’s a good thing you’re all done,” said Edgar. “Let’s eat.”

Edgar uncovered the tray. There were platters of eggs, ham, toast, a large pot of tea and a plate of assorted fruit and cheese. Rose had never seen some of the fruits there were so many. 

There was a knock on the door. 

“Mind if I join you?” It was Sabin. 

“Of course!” said Edgar. 

“The servants were all talking about Rose being your guest for breakfast that I told the kitchen to send up enough for three,” said Sabin. 

“Terra sent you didn’t she,” stated Edgar. 

“I guess she wanted to be sure that Rosie is eating properly,’ was all Sabin said.

Edgar rolled his eyes, but said nothing. 

Sabin placed an empty plate in front of Rose and filled it with eggs and a slice of ham and toast. Mama always told Rose that no one eats until everyone was served. After they all had food. Edgar gestured to Rose.

“It is customary for the Lady to break bread first,” he explained.

Rose was unfamiliar with manners such as this and Edgar could tell that. Still, it would not hurt Rose to start learning a few of the customary manners of the nobility. Edgar guessed that while Terra might barely be able to get all of her children to wait until everyone was served, Terra would probably just barely sit before the children would begin to eat. 

Rose blushed and began to eat her breakfast. Edgar nodded at her and both he and Sabin began to eat. After she had finished her eggs and ham she looked over the variety of fruits. She pointed to some bright red fruit that were covered in seeds with a green leafy top.

“What are those?” she asked.

“Have you never had strawberries before?” asked Edgar.

“Oh, I have had dried strawberries, but I’ve never seen them fresh. Is that what strawberries look like?”

“Ah,” that explained a lot to Edgar. “Tell me Rose which do you not recognize?”

“That one for sure.” pointing to a bright orange fruit with a leathery rind. “That one, I don’t think I have ever seen”, pointing to a long yellow fruit.

“Not surprising, since those two are hard to find outside of the Castle. Well believe it or not the orange one is called… an orange. The yellow one is called a banana. We trade with the city of Tzen to get fruits like that. They grow on the southern continent. Only the King and the richer nobility can afford that sort of fruit,” explained Sabin.

“Mama said her favorite fruits are bananas, but we couldn’t get them from the south.”

Edgar raised an eyebrow, “I’ll have to send her a basketful.”

Edgar smiled at Rose, “Now, which fruit shall you try first?

Rose was surprised by the deliciousness of the fruits. She was still enjoying the fruits when a clock began to ring the time.

Edgar scowled at the clock, “Damn, it’s already eight.”

“It’s okay, Edgar. I’ve got her. I’ll make sure that Rose gets back to Terra,” said Sabin. 

Edgar sighed, “I’m sorry, Rose. I have to start to get ready for the day. I will see you this afternoon after my business of the day and a side project I’m working on are completed. Until then, please go back to the tower with your brothers and sisters. I think the schools in South Figaro are going to be sending some teachers to evaluate how well your family has been educated. It will keep you busy.” 

Sabin smiled at Rose. “Come on, Rosie. Let’s not worry Terra any more than she was when she found your empty bed.”

Terra was scolding Rose. “What where you doing, going into the castle like that?”

“Mama, everyone was asleep. I didn’t think it would hurt to explore a little bit,” said Rose. 

“I’m sorry Rosie, but when I saw your empty bed, it worried me. Next time don’t leave without letting someone know.”

“Edgar said he sent you a message,” said Rose softly.

“He did, but that doesn’t make running off the way you did right, Rose. We are Edgar’s guests. It doesn’t reflect well on us if we take advantage of his hospitality.”

“All I did was see some metal suits and some pictures,” mumbled Rose. 

“And then you get invited for breakfast with the King,” said Terra tartly.

Something about Terra’s tone angered Rose.

“No, Mama. I didn’t get invited to breakfast with the King. I got invited to breakfast with Edgar! My friend! The King must have still been asleep because I had breakfast with my friend!”

Rose started to cry as she ran away. Climbing up to the top floor. She ignored everyone calls and sat looking out the windows again as she cried. 

Terra was fuming. What on earth was she going to do with the child? Rose didn’t understand that Terra in no way wanted to feel like she owed Edgar anything.

Sabin had held back after Terra had rebuked Rose. He didn’t look pleased at all with her.

“Terra, what the Devil are you doing to Rose?”

“She ran off without permission. Rose could have gone anywhere...”

“Terra, you didn’t even know Rose was gone until I came to tell you she was in the castle! Don’t blame Edgar for that lack of oversight on your part! It’s the same as yesterday! She was still on the Falcon more than an hour after everyone else had gotten off the ship and you didn’t even realize it until someone noticed she was still there!”

“Edgar should have brought her straight back home!”

“Why should he have? They were talking. They were enjoying each other’s company. They have both been starved for a real friend and they found one in each other.”

“I don’t want him spoiling her!”

“How is it spoiling her by being a caring friend? How is it spoiling her by letting her try something new?”

“I don’t want to owe Edgar anything! He is already doing far too much for me and the other children as it is!”

“You don’t owe Edgar a goddamn thing! The only thing you will owe him is an explanation if you keep hurting Rose the way you do! You might force him into doing things he does not want to do. Not to you. Certainly not to Rose.”

Then Sabin whispered only for Terra’s ears. “You need to remember that ultimately, when it is all settled, Edgar has ultimate control of where and who Rose lives with. If Edgar thinks you are starting to hurt Rose, he will use that authority. Don’t back him into a corner on that, Terra.”

There was a knock on the door. Sabin backed away from Terra. Terra went and opened the door. 

It was Locke and Celes. 

“We came by to tell you that there is a wagon ready to take all the kids to South Figaro for testing for school,” said Locke.

“Did we come at a bad time?” said Celes.


	14. A Class for Rose

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is going to jump to several different locations occurring simultaneously.

Sabin looked angry. He had good control of his temper as he sat and took a deep breath. 

“Where is everyone?” asked Celes.

“The children are all upstairs...”

“Go and get them! This is going to be an all day excursion. Afterwards they get a chance to see South Figaro. They need to get used to it since you are moving there.”

Celes didn’t miss the angry look that Sabin gave Terra as she went upstairs to get the children. 

“What happened, Sabin?”

“A disagreement,” was all he said.

“Does it have to do with Rose having breakfast with Edgar? All the castle servants were talking about a red headed girl who was having breakfast with the King.”

“Somewhat. I don’t want to talk about it right now.”

“Sabin...”

“Who is traveling with the kids?”

“A guardsman...” 

“I think I will tag along. I want to talk to Duncan anyways.”

“Sabin...”

Sabin’s eyes were icy and he still had an angry set to his jaw.

“Fine,” was all Celes said. 

Mog the moogle found Rose sitting quietly in the corner crying her eyes out. He held his arms out to Rose.

“Come on, pet me, Kupo!” he commanded.

Looking at the moogle with his glistening fur and pink puff ball nose, Rose began to smile in spite of herself. She went to the arms of the moogle and began to stroke his white fur. Mog began to purr as she stroked him. Rose began to calm down. 

The children were loading into the wagon with a great deal of push and noise. Sabin smiled at the children. Terra might not know what to do with Rosie, but she has done a good job with the rest of her children. Emma had noticed something first, “Where’s Rosie?” she asked.

“Rosie is a little young for school, so she is staying behind,” explained Celes.

Emma frowned, “She might be young, but she already knows how to read and write to a degree. I think school would be a good place for her.”

A man resplendent in a green and red robe approached the wagon.

“It’s okay. I am going to ask your mother about putting her in a class here in the castle. The children are all about her age. There are some teachers who can figure out how much she knows and will make recommendations for her based on their observations,” he said.

“Thank you, Chancellor.” cut in Sabin. “Do me a favor and tell Edgar I’m going to talk with Duncan for a while. If I’m not back tonight, I will be back by noontime at the latest tomorrow.”

“Of course, your Highness,” said the Chancellor.

Terra reluctantly agreed to Rose joining a class. Still, she thought it was only a year or so before she went to school anyways. It would be good for Rose to play with children her own age. Besides, she had been asked to meet Edgar in the Royal Vault. It would give Terra a chance to talk to Edgar about Rose without her being there.

The Chancellor knocked on the door at the right time to go to the class. He was accompanied by a little boy who was just about the same age as Rose. He had blue black hair and pale blue eyes as he looked at Rose.

“Miss Rose. We are going to take you to class today. There are about six other children just about your age who live in the castle. We will put you in this group to learn and give your mother a bit of a break. You will also learn things like manners and other arts.”

“Arts?” asked Terra.

“Dancing, embroidery, knitting among others.”

“It sounds like a class for noble children.”

“Yes and no. This class is for all children in the Castle. True, a certain degree are highborn. Some are not. Some are the children of the workers of the castle. They all learn the refined manners that are part of the Court.”

Terra held her tongue. She knew that this was what Celes had mentioned about Rose needing to learn about being a Lady. 

Rose didn’t want to be stuck in the tower all day with Mama. She nodded her agreement.

“Come, little Rose. Let me introduce you to my son, Angelo. I think you two will get on well.”

The Chancellor filled the silent walk to the group with talk about playtime and having fun. 

Rose didn’t think that class was going to be fun when she saw the stern faced lady who greeted them. Rose kept her eyes on her shoes as the Chancellor introduced her to the lady described as the high priestess. 

“Rose, please look at directly at me and not your shoes,” the lady said softly.

Rose looked up briefly, blushed and looked back at her shoes.

The lady approached her and gently took Rose’s chin so Rose looked her in the eyes.

“There is no need to be shy, Rose. I didn’t think you would be so shy with so many other children in your home.”

The high priestess then realized it wasn’t just all those people, it was isolation that made Rose so shy. Rose was used to her family and no one else. It would take time for her to get used to strangers. 

She smiled at Rose, “Can you draw?”

“A little,” answered Rose.

“Why don’t you draw for me your first memory?”

“Are you sure? You might not like it.”

“It will be alright, dear.”

Rose looked at the High priestess and smiled, “Alright.”

Elsewhere in Figaro Castle

Terra was being escorted to the Royal Vault, Edgar was talking to the Chancellor and someone else as she arrived.

“Terra, thank you for joining us,” Edgar came to Terra and gave her a warm hug. 

“Edgar we have to talk,” said Terra. 

“We will talk later, after dinner. Right now I have the Chancellor and a two legal clerks. One is here as a witness, one is documenting what we find when we open the sealed letters from DuBose castle.”

Terra’s look was dismayed. Clearly, Edgar was not going to give up on that easily.

Edgar nodded to his Chancellor. “Please lock the doors.” Two outer doors of the vault were closed. 

“Terra, before you start to argue, just keep in mind that this is about Rose. As Rose’s closest kinsman, these documents and our discoveries are all in the name of protecting Rose. We don’t want assassins killing her even if she lives a quiet life.”

“Then why are you putting her in a class full of nobles?”

The Chancellor was about to answer, Edgar waved him off with a hand.

“Because of how painfully shy she has become. Rose has been isolated for years. If you were to put her in a class full of common children she will become lost in the crowd. The teachers won’t be able to help her come out of her shell. Since the classes of nobles are much smaller, they can focus more on her and help her get out of that shell.”

“I told you, Ms Branford, that not all of those children are nobles. Some of them are very bright commoners. We put them in a separate class so that they can receive the attention they need,” said the Chancellor. “My guess is that once Rose gets used to the new teacher, she will open up more. Then we start to focus on what kind of an education she needs. My son, Angelo, is very bright, but because of his intelligence is almost as shy as Rose is. Other children don’t understand him at all. My thought is that they can help each other open up to the world.”

The Class

The high priestess looked at the picture Rose had drawn. It had a large green demon with huge horns. It was being attacked by a purplish humanoid figure that flew. There were also pictures of the King, Sabin, and Celes trying to help the purple flying figure.

“Hmmm. Who is the flying figure?” 

“Mama,” answered Rose.

“And the green monster?”

“I think Mama called it Humbaba or Phunbaba. Something that sounds kind of like that. Mama was so angry at it attacking our home that she, well, she changed into the fairy.”

The priestess pointed at the other humans. “Is that Edgar, Sabin and Celes?”

Rose nodded and said “Yes.”

The high priestess smiled at Rose. “Now that you are speaking to me, let’s do something else. Do you know your letters and numbers?”

“I can read and do some figures. Mama ran out of books for me to read and I was having trouble with the words in my bigger sister’s books.”

“Let me get some books and lets see how much you can read. Can you print out your letters?”

“I can handwrite some. Mama said I don’t have enough patience with some of the lettering.”

“You’re hands probably need a little more coordination. Let’s see how well you do and then I think I can put together what lessons you need.” 

The Vault

“Getting back to business,” Edgar cut in, “I have two sealed documents from the Duke of the Veldt, Matthew DuBose. My witnesses, are we all agreed that this letter is unopened, untampered, and that the Seal is intact?”

“Yes,” said the Chancellor. 

“Yes,” said Terra. 

“Yes,” said the legal clerk.

“Agreed and documented,” said the second clerk.

“Are we in agreement that this letter is addressed to myself, King Edgar Roni Figaro?”

All Agreed. The clerk documented it. 

Edgar broke the seal on the letter. After he had broken it, it was obvious that there were several sheets enclosed. A ring dropped out of the papers and fell to the floor. Edgar picked up the ring. He read the letter silently at first then he began to read aloud. 

Greetings to His Majesty, King Edgar Roni Figaro from His Grace, Matthew David Figaro-DuBose, the Duke of the Veldt.

Greetings to my cousin in Figaro Castle from Castle DuBose. 

I am not certain if the contents in this packet will ever be seen by you. I pray by the grace of the Gods it will. My people inform me that you have left Figaro to help coordinate a response to the Gestahlian Empire with the Returners. Cousin, I wish I were as brave as you. I am writing this as a form of Last Will and Testament seeing that I no longer know if we are in the End Days or not.

The earthquakes have been horrendous. The aftershocks are starting to take their toll on DuBose Castle. Right now my duchy is being over run with demons, Magitek from the Empire and a slow poison that is seeping in from Doma. Even the wildlife of the Veldt are behaving as if rabid. I know not if it is from the poison or the constant earthquakes. 

As I write this, I am getting a group together to head to the town of Mobliz. Christopher should be trying to get the people of that village to safety. There have been reports of a strange burning light not far from there. I pray we survive and get as many people as possible to safety.

Because of the uncertainty of the present time I am stating in separate documents my bequests more thoroughly but I am stating them briefly to you, Edgar, in the event someone disputes my bequests or claims otherwise. 

For my brother, Christopher DuBose. To him I leave all ducal lands as well as the Title of the Duke of the Veldt and my signet ring which I have enclosed in this letter. I know he would argue vehemently over this, but he must understand. I have no children. I will never be able to father one. Our proud family line is being carried forward towards the future by him, his wife and child. I also bequeath unto him any lands and titles that are in Figaro. I know that Mother passed unto me those titles as well. Edgar, you should be able to find what they are and get that information to him. 

In the event that my brother Christopher is no longer among the living, all of my brothers bequests are further passed on to his daughter, Rose DuBose. Rose, at this point, is barely more than a toddler. Because of this, her care is entrusted to my cousin, His Majesty, King Edgar Roni Figaro. Cousin, I hope you can teach her to be brave the way my mother taught you. In furtherance of Rose’s bequest I am placing all ducal properties, monies, jewels, and any additional heirlooms in the trust of the King of Figaro until Rose is of a suitable age to reclaim and re raise our family banner.

In the event that both my brother and niece are dead, then this is my final bequest. 

The Duchy of the Veldt is no more. All lands, titles and monies etc are now placed in perpetuity to the Kingdom of Figaro. No claimants are to be accepted. No one may claim the title. If we are all dead than the Duchy is dead too. This includes Markus Demille for his long standing and ongoing treason against the Duchy. If he is troubling you Edgar, please honor a final request and behead him for me. 

I don’t expect to live much longer, Edgar. I hope you never have to read this letter. If you do than you know something is wrong with the Veldt. If any of us are still alive, help us rebuild. 

Your Loving Cousin-- His Grace, Duke Matthew DuBose.

“It’s been signed and sealed by Matthew,” Edgar said softly. His eyes looked tired. He pulled out a handkerchief and dabbed at his eyes. “Chancellor, please have this letter officially archived, copied, recorded and stored in the Vault properly. Put the signet ring with the Crown Jewels.”

Edgar took a few minutes to gather himself and his thoughts as the letter was given to some Royal Archivists with the King’s instructions.

DuBose Castle. 

“What do you mean the archives have been ransacked??!!” screamed a man,

“Just that, my Lord. There is nothing there. No will. No family tree. No letters, Nothing. It looks like there was a recent fire in a fireplace. Those papers might have been burned.”

The man’s eyes became sly. “What about the Ducal Seal, is that here?”

“No, my lord.”

A large fist covered in spiked rings punched the servant in the face. The servant fell as a short squat man began to kick and scream at him for his incompetence. 

“My Lord! There are signs of recent habitation of the village to the south of us.”

The squat man stopped kicking the servant and looked at the new messenger. “How recent are we talking here?” 

“A matter of days. It looks like it was packed up with a degree of care. Whoever they are might still return.”

“Which village?”

“Mobliz, my Lord.” 

Figaro Castle

Rose’s back and thighs were achy. The teacher looked at Rose and began to scold Rose for slouching in her chair.

“Miss Rose, a lady sits tall in her chair, with her feet firmly on the floor. Your hands should be at rest in your lap.”

The teacher then placed a book on Rose’s head saying that if her posture was good the book would be balanced on her head. 

“Now, stand.”

The book fell off of Rose’s head as soon as she tried to stand. Rose blushed bright red in embarrassment. 

“Don’t worry. She does that to everyone who first comes here,” whispered the boy, Angelo. “You get used to it. She drills us this way for an hour before lunch.” He handed Rose the book.

“Angelo! Quiet please! Now, Rose. Put the book back on your head and try again.”

Rose put the book back on her head with a sigh. She carefully stood up, this time the book stayed put.

“Now, try walking. Keep the book on your head as long as you can.”

Rose began to tip toe. 

“A proper lady takes small steps, but not tip toes. Walk.”

The book fell as Rose began to take longer steps.

“You’ll get better. Now everyone, it is time for lunch. Remember to sit properly as we are dining with the Court. Also everyone remember that no one sits, until his Majesty, the King commands us to sit. Stand behind your chairs until we receive his command.” 

All the other children where lined up. Rose was up front and Angelo was right behind Rose as the priestess was leading them. They were lead down several halls into a large banquet hall. The banquet hall was almost full. 

Angelo whispered to Rose, “She forgot to tell you that after the King gives the command to sit, you curtsy to him.”

“I’ll never remember all this stuff.”

“You’re doing fine. My father asked me to help you if you got lost. The priestess is used to children who have been around the Court most of their lives. She forgets things when someone new comes, who is not used to the Court. You are doing better than I thought you would.”

“My sister Carrie’s father had been the mayor of Mobliz. She always got after me for my manners. Said no one wants a little barbrain.”

“Barbarian. Shh. Here comes the King.” 

A number of people preceded Edgar. Rose recognized the Chancellor, Aunt Celes, and surprisingly, Mama. Mama and Celes winked at Rose. 

Edgar was the last out. His table was separate from the rest of the seats and faced the full Court. His face gave no indication of seeing Rose. 

“Be seated.” he commanded as he sat down. 

Rose curtseyed with a grace that surprised Angelo and the rest of the children at their table. Mama and Celes gave Rose a discreet thumbs up. Edgar graced Rose with a faint smile and a discreet wink. A servant pulled the chair back for Rose to sit as she did so with her back rock straight and her feet to the ground like the priestess was teaching her.

“I think your sister should give a few lessons on manners to the priestess,” said Angelo. 

“Well it’s sort of a game we play. the Bow and Curtsy game. Sometimes Mama would get us special treats and the boy who gives the best bow gets a treat. It’s the same for us girls whoever gives the best curtsy also gets a treat. We all want the treat so we practice for hours when we know we are going to play the Bow and Curtsy game.” 

“Now I have a new game to teach them.”

Finger bowls were placed out first.

Rose quietly cleaned her hands without prompting.

“Are you sure this is your first time to Court?” asked Angelo. “There are plenty of nobles who don’t know what finger bowls are used for.”

“Aunt Celes would teach us about stuff like this. Said it could be handy if we ever came to Court. She also said that the Imperial court was even stricter than Edgar’s”

“You mean Commander Celes Chere?” asked another little girl.

“Yes.”

“Stricter how?” asked Angelo.

“Aunt Celes once said a footsoldier’s hands were once cut off, because he didn’t wash them. I think she might be kidding though.”

Angelo’s face went pale.

The finger bowls were replaced and plates of food were set out.

“No talking while we eat.” said the priestess. 

A thick beef stew was served with platters of sliced bread. Rose ate with a daintiness that even some of the older children were jealous of.

Angelo once again shook his head. “Like I said, I think your sister should teach the priestess some manners. Some of the older girls are jealous.”

“It’s not just Carrie. Mama is strict about us girls eating correctly. Eating correctly means less food stains on clothes and less food stains means an easier wash load. When your hands are red from the washboard and soaps used you don’t want to leave food stains.”

“She’s right,” said another little girl. “My Mama also makes me help out with laundry. You learn to eat properly when your fingers are red and chapped from the washboard and soap. Although, my Mama would then rub our hands with some raw wool. Its oils help out with the chapping a lot.”

“Well,” drawled an older boy, “That’s the sort of thing I expect from the daughter of a pig keeper. No class whatsoever,” he sneered.

“Dennis! Back to your table at once!” said the priestess sharply.

“Why is he so mean to her?” Rose whispered to Angelo.

“Dennis’s family are the Court snobs,” explained Angelo. “His father is an Earl and his fief is close to Jidoor. His family is as old as the Figaro family. Lizzy’s family have been newly en nobled. Her father is the Master of Livestock. No one knows more about animals and keeping them healthy and breeding than he does. King Edgar made him a Baron because of all the hard work he does to keep the livestock healthy around the Kingdom, even going outside the Kingdom sometimes. Dennis’s family doesn’t like it when Edgar does that. Dennis’s family likes to sneer at working nobles.”

“Hmm.” was all Rose said.

“Watch out for Dennis,” advised Angelo. “He will raise all sorts of talk about you. Especially since you are a friend of the King.”

“Why? Is it wrong for me to friends with Edgar?”

“No. It’s just… It’s weird. At certain angles you look like Edgar. I’m sure they are going to try to raise talk about you being a bastard child of Edgar’s.”

“What’s a bastard child?”

“A babe that is born when the parents are not married,” cut in a voice. It was Celes.

Rose started to laugh. “But, I’ve never seen Mama and Edgar sneaking off the way Duane and Katarin do when they think no one is looking. I remember my Papa’s voice a little. It is not the same as Edgar’s.”

“It’s a good thing you can even remember that much,” said Celes. “Listen, Rose Your mother is going to be in conference with Edgar for a while still. When your lessons are finished, ask your friend to show you where the training rooms are. I am going to be drilling a couple of girls on their swords. Okay?”

Rose nodded, “Yes, Aunt Celes.”

Celes nodded at Rose, “Good. See you later.”

The priestess rose. “All right, it’s time to go back to class.”

The smaller children waited to be escorted back to class. They began to walk in one direction as the older children went in the opposite direction. The boy Dennis was last. Rose caught the malice in his eyes and saw him try to trip her. She made a small jump and drove her heel into his foot. She had five big brothers, after all, it wasn’t a new tactic to Rose at all. They all learned how quick Rosie was on her feet.

“OOOWWWW!”

“Dennis!”

“Little bitch stepped on my foot!” Dennis began to hop on one foot. 

“What was your foot doing underneath mine to begin with?” asked Rose. ‘Where you trying to trip me? You should talk to my big brothers. They all have had bruises on their feet when they do that.”

“Rose!”

Rose stood still. 

“SHE STEPPED ON MY FOOT!!” Dennis howled. 

“It serves you right, Dennis Clarkson! If you in any way try to trip any of the other children in my care, I will switch your behind so red you will not be able to sit for days!! GO!!!” commanded the priestess. 

Dennis shot Rose a glare full of pure venom. Rose’s return look was daring. She never will tolerate being bullied. As much as it caused trouble at home she would never tolerate that. 

The high priestess snorted and lead them back to class.

“Am I in trouble?” Rose asked.

“No. I saw him try to trip you. I was surprised by your reaction time. I guess having all those brothers teaches you the warning signs of a troublemaker.”

Rose nodded. 

After they got back to their class, the others were given reading assignments. Rose was being tested on her writing. She printed out all her letters and then a paragraph. Nodding, the teacher asked her to switch to cursive. This slowed Rose down but she managed to get a few sentences in cursive.

“You need to improve your finger coordination.” The priestess went to a basket and pulled out a long string that was tied off to form a circle. 

“Now to improve your finger coordination you are going to learn a finger weaving game called Cat’s Cradle. What this does is teach you how to greater manipulate the fingers. I’ve found this is also a great little game to play that keeps the mind busy while allowing for conversation.”

Rosie was taught how to run the string through her fingers and how to make basic shapes.

An hour later they were pretty much finished with the classwork for the day. The high priestess was asking if anyone knew a simple game that everyone could participate in. Rosie suggested a game that she and siblings would play called King of the World. 

“It’s easy. If you are boy you would started by saying ‘I’m the King of the World in my world I shall give everyone,’ a favorite food, then you say ‘and no one shall have’ a hated food. If you’re a girl you are the Queen of the world instead of the King.”

“Would you like to demonstrate?”

Rose stood up very tall and said in a dramatic affected tone. “I’m the Queen of the World and in my world I shall give everyone chocolate cupcakes and no one shall have brussell sprouts!” 

The other kids started to laugh. Angelo stood up as tall as Rose had and said similarly “I’m the King of the World and in my world I shall give everyone apple pie and no one shall have carrots!”

The other children all took turns. The last boy stood and said “I am the King of the World and in my world I shall give everyone peaches and no one shall have my mother’s cooking!” The room bust out laughing, including the boy. “I mean it! My mother can’t cook to save her life! I wouldn’t wish it onto my worst enemies dog!”

“Ah! It’s a good thing that none of you are the Kings or Queens of the world! Everyone would eat too many sweets and not enough healthy food!” It was Edgar.

“What about you, Edgar?” begged Rose. “What would food would you give everyone and what food would no one have?”

Edgar began to speak as dramatically as the children had been. “Well, if I were King of the World, and not just Figaro, I shall give everyone strawberries and cream and no one shall have cilantro. But as King of Figaro I will have to settle for peace in my kingdom and that no one goes hungry.”

The children applauded. A clock began to toll.

“Well,” called the high priestess. “That’s it for the day! Please come back tomorrow nine in the morning.”

“Bye Rose!”

“See ya Rose!” the children all said as they left the classroom.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Blech! I can't stand cilantro! You might as well ask me to eat soap! I'm glad that Edgar agrees with me.


	15. South Figaro

“I see you are making friends.” said Edgar.

“I guess,” was all Rose said. 

“Come, let’s meet your mother. We are going to South Figaro to meet up with your siblings and take care of some business.”

“I thought I was supposed to go see Aunt Celes,” said Rose. 

“There has been a change of plans, someone wants to meet your mother. I have to check on a few things down there. We shall eat and come back tonight. School should be starting for everyone else tomorrow.”

“Edgar could you please tell Ms Branford that I shall like to speak to her before school starts tomorrow,” said the High priestess. 

“I will,” replied Edgar. Edgar bowed gracefully to Rose, “Shall we?”

Rose gave Edgar an equally graceful curtsy, “Yes.”

Edgar laughed, “Your teaching is as good as ever, Kayla.”

The high priestess, Kayla laughed. “I wish I knew who taught her to curtsy like that. I’d make them teach the youngsters!”

Rose laughed, “It’s a game that we all play in my house. Whoever gives the best bow and curtsy gets a treat. We practice for hours to get treats.”

“Hmmm. That might give some of the other younglings more incentive to practice.” said Kayla. 

“This way Rosie, your mother is waiting for us.” Edgar offered Rose his arm. 

As they walked they talked about the class what parts were fun and what was tedious.

The boy, Dennis, was hoping to corner Rose after class. He backed away once he saw that she was with the King. There would be other opportunities. 

As they walked outside they saw Terra waiting by a small carriage meant for the three of them. 

“We’re going to have to leave the cover up,” said Terra. “I don’t want Rosie getting sunburned.”

“We will be able to put the cover back down once we are out of the desert,” assured Edgar. “Rose needs a little sunshine or else she won’t grow properly.”

Terra nodded. “Come on up Rosie. Let’s get settled in before we take off.”

Rose and Terra settled into a back seat. Edgar took the reigns of the chocobos. Edgar told Terra of the teachers request and Terra nodded. 

“One other thing Terra. You need to be dressed for Court tomorrow. I will be officially transferring ownership of the house and monies to you during the morning Audience.”

“Why must it be during an audience? Can’t you just sign over the paperwork to me privately.”

“Except that the house and monies belong to the Crown and not me personally. The transference of Crown properties are done publicly to avoid accusations of impropriety. Since you are considered a charitable organization, it’s done in front of the nobility to make them feel good about themselves.”

“Myself and the children are not looking for charity, Edgar,” Terra said sharply.

“I know. But being listed as a charity isn’t a bad thing at all, Terra. This keeps the tax collectors out of your hair. If your family were not listed as a charity, you would have the tax collectors taxing you a pretty penny for the house and the monies. You and the children should focus on living, not worrying about tax collection. My budget already accounts for Sam Davidson’s taxes. A windfall is nice, but unnecessary. It felt good to see the tax collectors faces when they realized I wouldn’t let them swindle you.”

“What’s swindle?” asked Rose.

“It’s another word for cheat, Rose. Tax collectors are some of the biggest cheaters out there. While a kingdom does require taxes to keep things running, tax collectors are not always honest people. In my grandfathers time there were several tax collectors who would cheat ordinary people out of money and fatten their own pockets. They passed on only the required taxes to the Crown and kept the rest for themselves. Now, during tax season, when people come to pay their taxes there are two documents. One is presented to the tax collector and the other is kept in an official book that I personally check. If the document given to the tax collector does not match what is in the official tax record, it is ripped up and the clerk with the official tax record writes a new copy directly from the book. It’s one way to prevent cheating.”

“What happened to the cheating tax collectables?”

“Collectors,” corrected Edgar. “Nothing very pleasant. My grandfather resorted to some pretty extreme punishments to curtail the theft. Still, tax collectors have other means to engage in legal theft. One is the inheritance tax. Granted there are plenty of nobles with plenty of money who can afford such things. However for the hard working businessman who earned every penny the long way, a family business can be put out of business just by the inheritance tax. My grandfather worked for ten long years rewriting the tax code so that ordinary businessmen’s families don’t get put into poorhouses by those greedy bastards.”

“There’s a lot to being a King, isn’t there.” said Rose softly.

“Yes, there is.” was all Edgar said.

“What happens is someone thinks that their taxes are incorrect or unjust?” asked Terra.

“A petition for appeal is applied for at a towns mayor’s office. Royal clerks collect those petitions and schedule an Audience with either myself or the Chancellor. What happens next varies. If either myself or the Chancellor find that the taxes are overbearing we will usually settle the taxes at a reduced rate. If we find that it simply incorrect we give out the correct tax. Sometimes, though, it is neither an unjust amount or incorrect. That happens when the business tries to cheat the government themselves. Then, not only do they have to pay the amount owed but an additional percentage as a penalty. The Crown tries to be fair, but don’t try to cheat the Crown either.”

“I have a question, what happens if the tax collectors feel like you are cheating them?” asked Rose.

“They can complain all they like to the Chancellor, but the advantage of being King is that what I say goes. They can complain all they want, but it’s my decision, not theirs. Personally, I am more moved by a poor widow with three children than some tax official or some noble with more time and money on their hands than they know what to do with.”

“Angelo told me you made Lizzy’s father a Baron because of all the hard work he does,” said Rose. 

“Yes. James Oliver is a true master herdsman. No one has helped in keeping more livestock healthy than James. I made him a Baron with large fields to further his experiments on livestock. We have avoided famine in Figaro in no small part because of herdsmen and farmers like James. There are a lot of places around where Vector used to be where people are starving. Either feudal Lords are taking all available food for themselves or there just aren’t enough people left to try to mend things. Here, we have been working hard to try to fix things. People like James are invaluable for such purposes. I cannot repay them enough. For farmers and herdsman like James giving land grants works out the best.” 

“Bigger farms and larger herds meaning more food?” asked Terra.

“Precisely.”

The air around them began to cool down. 

“We are just outside the desert,” said Edgar. 

Terra lowered the carriages hood.

“It’s beautiful out,” commented Terra.

“Figaro is recovering well,” said Edgar softly. 

“Figaro has a good king,” was all Terra said. 

“Thank you. I try.”

There was a soft smile that both Edgar and Terra shared. To Rose more was being said than their words. 

The rest of the ride was enjoyable. After a while Edgar stopped the carriage. 

“There we are, South Figaro. “

South Figaro was bustling harbor town on the edge of the ocean. There were townsman bustling about their business. Several of the townsfolk recognized Edgar and waved to their King on greeting. Edgar completely stopped the carriage in the towns center. He got out and proceeded to help Terra out of the carriage. Afterward Edgar lifted Rose out of the carriage and placed her gently on the cobblestones.

Rose was uncomfortable seeing so many people. She shyly clung close to her mother.

“This way, Terra, the school where everyone else is at is this way,” said Edgar. 

Edgar lead them down a fairly busy street. There where several vendors selling things from food to scarves. 

As much as Rose wanted to go look at things she stuck close to Terra. A few seemed to recognize Terra and waved greetings to her. A bell began to ring outside a large building. Children of all ages began to bustle out of it. There was laughter and talk as they left. Before long all of Rose’s brothers and sisters joined them outside. They were giving Mama a hug and were talking over themselves trying to get a word in. Edgar noticed Rose was pushed out of the conversation and she stood still as the others vied for Terra’s attention. 

“Terra, I am going to take Rose to my friend now. I’ll catch up with the rest of you at the Lions Inn later,” said Edgar. 

Terra nodded at Edgar as another one of the children demanded her attention. 

Edgar held out his hand to Rose, “Come, let’s go and visit a friend of mine.”

Rose nodded and took Edgar’s hand.

“When they all push at her like that, it must be hard to get her attention sometimes,” commented Edgar. 

“Yes,” said Rose. 

“No wonder you sneak off the way you do. You must feel like sometimes she’s not paying any attention to you.”

“Sometimes. Mostly when I sneak off I just want to be alone for a while.”

Edgar lead Rose down a row of houses.

“Here,” he said. Edgar knocked on the door.

An old woman opened the door. “Edgar Figaro! It’s good to see you! Who is this with you? What gorgeous red hair!”

“Mary,” replied Edgar warmly. “This is my little friend Rose. She could really use your expert shears.”

“Come in! Come in you two! Let me get tea ready. I got your message that you were coming with a friend. I never expected such magnificent locks!”

“Mary’s favorite hair color is red,” Edgar said to Rose. 

“There are so many shades of red and each are beautiful in their own right. From strawberry blonde to a warm auburn, red is the best of them all,” chimed Mary. 

“And me?” asked Rose. 

“You are a flaming red head. Reds, golds, copper, a touch of orange. I consider flaming red to be the truest red color. I’d bet you have even got the red head temper.”

“In spades,” said Edgar. 

“Let’s enjoy tea, then I will work on your hair. Edgar, I take you are ready for a trim?”

“You know me, Mary. Can’t trust the castle barbers. No matter what I tell them they think that for some reason my hair sprouting all over my head is somehow more dignified.”

Mary rolled her eyes. “Short hair will never look good on you. It’s not only very thick, it’s absolutely straight. It will only stick up straight until its long enough to lie flat. Even then it won’t look good. You are much better off keeping it long and trim.”

“I’ve never had reason to doubt you. I remember how awful my hair looked after those barbers got their hands on it before you took over. Butchered! Never again!”

Listening to Edgar banter with Mary, Rose began to relax.

“Is that why Uncle Sabin’s hair is spiky?”

Edgar laughed, “Yes. He keeps his hair short because of his martial arts training. Says it does no good if it flops in his face. I never liked my hair spiky so I have grown it out. It looks much better.”

After tea, Mary lead Rose to a special hair wash station. She placed some thick cushions in a chair to accommodate Rose’s tininess. Mary placed a special leather apron on Rose to protect her dress. Mary began to wash her hair. 

“Not too dry. That’s good. You don’t over wash your hair.

“It gets washed twice a week and Mama adds some rosewater when it gets combed out.”

“Rosewater isn’t bad. Tell her to add a drop of almond oil in as well. That will keep it from getting dry and add more sheen. Hmmm she doesn’t use the right combs though. I can tell by the breakage. Don’t use fine toothed combs. Use a medium toothed comb when it gets combed out. Your hair is very thick like Edgar’s. Fine tooth combs bend and break in such thick hair. Medium is strong enough to withstand the thickness and reduce pulling and yanking on the scalp.”

“That’s what Edgar said!”

“I taught him that,” laughed Mary.

“I told you Rose, I’ve been coming to have Mary trim my hair since I was a boy. She would whip the castle barbers in line if she ever let me move her to the castle.”

Mary mocked Edgar, “Hmph, you know I retired because I got tired of some people thinking that they could cheat me. Or argue because they don’t listen to my recommendations. You have always been a good boy Edgar. Now I wish you’d find a nice girl and get married instead of the playing around you do.”

“I do have prospects, Mary. I just wish she would take me seriously.”

“Your skirt-chasing doesn’t help, Edgar. I remember how you would flirt with all the girls in the salon. Even as a boy.”

“Mary, you know you have ruined me for all other women!” joked Edgar.

“Cheeky boy!” 

After a fun hour and a half with Mary, both Rose and Edgar's hair had been cut and styled. Mary gave strict orders to Edgar to make sure that Terra and the rest of the children were taken to her main salon the next day.

When they had caught up with Terra and the rest of the children, it was Emma who noticed their return.

“You hair looks so nice, Rose! I like how it has been trimmed.”

“Everyone has an appointment with a hairdresser tomorrow,” answered Edgar.

“That sounds wonderful. We don’t start class until Monday, so Terra was bringing us here tomorrow to get school uniforms and books.”

“Putting your best foot forward on Monday will help as you get used to more people around,” said Edgar. “Mary has already told her daughters and their apprentices that I have booked the salon. That includes you, Terra.”

“Me? Why do…”

“Looking good is for more than appearances. It also adds confidence. When you look good you feel good. It’s a mental state. One that goes a long way. I learned this years ago as a very young King. One I used to my advantage when I dealt with the Empire. They thought I was a young foolish King. I played up the foolish parts and played them instead. There is more than one way to be a player.”

“I guess.”

“Now, Emma and Derek, if you turn left here and walk a way you will find The Lion Inn. I have already reserved a back room. They are looking for you so they should take you back immediately. Get everyone fed. Your mother and myself have to meet someone. We will meet you there as soon as we conclude our business. Keep an eye on Rose. She tends to get lost in the shuffle.”

Emma nodded and took Rose’s hand. “Come on guys. Let’s go and get some dinner!” Emma and Derek began to lead the rest of the children down the street.

“Emma’s a smart cookie. She already has more sense than Katarin did,” said Edgar.

“Yes. She won’t fall in the same trap that Katarin did so young.”

“Is Katarin unhappy?”

“No. It’s just that sometimes when Duane and Katarin argue, you can tell how young they are. Duane is starting to mature but sometimes he still feels unsure on how to be a husband. Emma won’t marry until she is certain that she is ready.”

“Arguing differs from couple to couple. My Uncle Ken and Aunt Caro would have some of the loudest yelling matches when they argued. So long as they were loud, they weren’t really all that angry with each other. It was when they were being quietly angry that was frightening. That was when there were hurt feelings and genuine anger. I have only ever seen them fight that way once. Matthew once told me that he had only ever seen them fight that way a handful of times. I guess you could say as long as they were yelling things were fine. A lot of people didn't understand this. I think they just liked the noise.”

Edgar and Terra started to walk towards the harbor. 

“Now, who am I seeing?”

“Suzanne Davidson. She wants to hand you the keys to her former home personally. I think she was happy when she learned that the house was being taken over by someone who could really use it. She didn’t want to see it being torn down.”

“I see.”

They approached the Seabreeze.

“Ms Branford? I’m Suzanne Davidson. I asked Edgar for a brief meeting before we leave. I Just wanted to hand over the keys and wish you good luck with your brood!”

Terra noticed that Suzanne Davidson was a petite blonde woman with large dimples in her cheeks. 

“Thank you, Mrs Davidson, good luck wherever you are going!”

Terra was handed set of keys and a sealed letter.

“Godspeed,” said Edgar. 

They left the harbor. 

“She really was a good person, wasn’t she?”

“Oh, yes. Suzanne is a great lady. I let her know that if she ever wants to return to Figaro I would allow it. I didn’t exile her, only her husband.”

“Why would she return?”

“Well, there are several factors. She gets homesick. Or what if a family member died, and she needed to settle the estate. There are reasons that could require a return.”

“Do you think any of the children could want to return to Mobliz?”

“Duane and Katarin might. I could see them getting homesick. The younger ones I am not so sure of. As Figaro becomes their home they will miss Mobliz less. I am hoping it’s the same for you.”

“Everyone here has been kind. I don’t think it will take much to find peace here in Figaro.”

“Good. Now I have a quick stop at the mayor’s office. Then we shall go and eat.”

“Why do we need to go to the mayor’s office?”

“There is a festival in two weeks that celebrates the official re opening of the harbor as well as the harvest festival. I am combining those events this year. It’s a big city wide party. People come from all over Figaro to celebrate. They’ll be fireworks, food, candy for children, dancing, the whole nine yards. I want to check that certain shipments for the festival are being sent and are arriving.”

“A festival?”

“That’s right,” Edgar smiled at Terra. “Won’t it feel good to have a celebration?”

“Yes.”

They arrived at the building that was just about to close. A man was about to lock up. 

“Oh! I was afraid you weren’t going to be able to make it, your Majesty.”

“How are the shipments coming along?

“Most are fine, except for the apples.”

“Is there something wrong with the orchards?” asked Edgar, concerned.

“No, your Majesty. Not the orchards themselves. If it weren’t for all the other factors it looks like this year would have been a bumper crop. It’s pickers. Paul is short handed.”

“How many pickers does he need?”

“If he had about three people just for the weekend it would clear up the backlog. After that two staying on until the end would be enough.”

“I might be able to find workers,” said Edgar. 

“They are needed.”

“Anything else?”

“No. The candidates are getting started for their mayoral run. City Council nominees are coming in. Everything else is running like clockwork.”

“Are there any petitions that I need to take back?”

“None.”

“Good, I’ll go ahead and think about the labor shortage.”

“It’s going to be tough. The cloth mills are snapping up everyone that they can find. Business is booming for them.”

“I’ll see what I can do. It would be fun to pick apples in my family’s orchards again.”

“Your Majesty! You can’t be serious about picking apples!”

Edgar sighed, “You’re right. But the orchards are beautiful this time of year.”

Edgar made small talk for a few more minutes. When Edgar and Terra left. Terra asked. “What is so special about apples for the festival.”

“Well you see, the Figaro family actually started as apple farmers. This whole kingdom is founded on apples! The Harvest Festival is a reminder of our humble roots. Even as we wound up becoming Kings, our family still has our original orchards. As a boy, every autumn I went out to the family orchards and picked apples. It’s beautiful out there right now. The trees are full of fruit and the smells of apples being picked and being pressed into juices and ciders.” Edgar smiled at the memory.

They walked through the town and found themselves at the Lion Inn. 

“How have the children been,” Edgar asked the bar keep. 

“Good. They have eaten and are now playing a game that the little redhead is teaching them. Now they are trying to walk with books on their heads. They are laughing at the silliness of it,” smiled the bar keep.

“Let’s go before they get themselves too worked up. They won’t fall asleep if they do,” said Terra.

Edgar and Terra quickly went to the back room of the inn. There were platters of food that had been demolished by the twelve children. They were still laughing at each other trying walk and balance a book on their heads. 

“Well, well, my children. Did you leave any food for myself and Edgar?” asked Terra

“Mrs. Knott came and made plates to save before we finished all the food,” said Emma.

The second oldest, Carrie, managed to walk around the room with the book balanced on her head. She then sat down with the book still balanced.

“My friend Angelo said you could teach the teacher about manners, Carrie!” squealed Rose. 

“That’s because I refuse to turn into a barbarian!” said Carrie.

“I told him you said we shouldn’t act like barbrains.”

“Barbarians. Seriously Rose, you’re the biggest barbarian of them all!”

“I’d rather be a barbrain than boring!!!”

They both started to laugh. They knew they were just being silly.

Mrs Knott brought out plates for Terra and Edgar. Everyone joked and laughed while they ate.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just remember folks that in spite of everything, not everything is sunshine and roses after Kefka was defeated. Especially around Vector.


	16. Crown Jewels

Finally, they were set to return to Figaro Castle. Sabin was waiting and decided to return with the children and drove the wagon. Edgar, Terra and Rose once again got into the carriage. Rose fell asleep halfway on the trip back. She vaguely woke to someone picking her up and setting her down on her bed. She drowsily took off her dress and put on her nightgown. After a while she drifted off into a deep sleep.

The next morning, she was the first awake at sunrise. She dressed in her clean blue dress and went downstairs to wait for Mama or Emma to wake up first. 

As she waited she heard the sounds of metal on metal. It was not rhythmic the way it would be for a blacksmith or farrier. There was a murmuring of instruction being given. The clashing began again.

From a distance there was a sudden “OWW!”.

“Damn practice blade broke.” came another murmuring. “I keep telling the blacksmiths that pot metal just isn’t good enough anymore. I need steel practice blades, but I keep getting blank looks. Honestly I think I would be best off if I just put a blunting mechanism on Lightbringer. Not even Kefka could break that.”

“Yes, Edgar, but that’s a holy sword. I wouldn’t want to wield it outside of battle.”

“I just hope I don’t bruise too badly, Cyan. That will be tough when I go to Orchard Valley this afternoon.” 

“What will you be doing in Orchard Valley?” 

“I was planning on taking Terra’s brood to pick apples and have fun in the orchards. I talked to Duane last night and he is thrilled at the prospect of a job that’s there. I was told that the orchard manager is shorthanded on pickers. I think twelve children, some of them close to working age would be useful to help out. The girls could pick apples and the boys could haul them to both sorters and wagons for transport.” 

The murmuring stopped.

“Up already, Rose?” came the sleepy voice of Terra.

“Yes, Mama. I was just listening to the sounds outside.”

“What did you hear?”

“It sounded like metal on metal, but somebody yelled as if they were hurt.”

“What else did you hear.”

“Someone wished that they could blunt something called Lightbringer.”

“It must have been Edgar getting in sword practice. Edgar wields the Lightbringer. This time of day would be about all the time he would get to practice swords.”

“You have to meet the teacher today, Mama.”

“I know. I also have to be in Court for Edgar’s audience. Breakfast should be here soon. I need to take a quick bath and get dressed. Sit here quietly while I get ready.”

A few minutes later, Emma came downstairs. She sat with Rose and Rose read to her while the others slowly got up and ready for the day. They knew that after Terra’s audience with Edgar that they would be going to South Figaro. It was going to be a nice day. Castle servants knocked on the door and brought breakfast to them and they ate in relative peace. 

About an hour later Terra came back downstairs. She was dressed well, if plainly, for Court in a pale pink dress. 

“Let’s go Rosie. Emma you and Derek are in charge until I come back. This should not take too long.”

Terra and Rosie left their temporary home and walked across the courtyard into the main part of the castle itself. Terra expertly navigated the hallways until she was just outside Rose’s class.

The high priestess, Kayla, was already there.

Kayla smiled at Terra. “I know you have an audience with the King, so I will make this brief. I just want to congratulate you for teaching Rose so well! She is pretty advanced for her age in her studies. If she keeps up the pace, I might promote her early into the next grade of students. I also think that in time she will overcome her shyness. She was able to speak and act normally after she was given time to process this experience. Don’t push her into too many people at once though. It will take even longer for her to adjust to a large group of strangers. 

“Thank you, I was afraid you were going to tell me she was behind on everything.”

“Goodness, no! Most children only know their letters and numbers at this age. Rose is well beyond that. In fact she can read as well as any six year old. Her handwriting will improve in time. As her finger coordination grows.”

Terra nodded one last time at Kayla. 

“Now, when you go to the throne room for the audience tell the clerk and he will seat you. When they call your name go before the King and curtsy to him. He will then conduct business. When he is finished curtsy one last time and you are free to go. I know you and Rose are both personal friends of the King and he doesn’t really care, but bowing is important for some of the other nobles. Someone is spreading rumors and all the formalities help stop the rumors.”

The clock rang the quarter hour. 

“You had better hurry audiences start in fifteen minutes. The sooner you go the sooner you can leave.”

“Be good Rose.” Terra hurried off.

“Well now Rose, make yourself comfortable,” said Kayla. 

Edgar was in his royal apartment getting ready for audiences. He was wearing blue silk satin breeches and a white silk shirt. His waistcoat was in gold satin and his overcoat was blue satin and embroidered. His mantle was an ermine trimmed royal purple silk velvet. The court jeweler was fussing over the various jewelry which also included his crown. The whole spectacle was to make him appear divine and untouchable. 

After confronting a real god, divine and untouchable were the last things Edgar wanted to look or feel like.

Edgar sat quietly allowing his face to become a serene mask. It would serve no purpose to let his real emotions show. He hoped Terra understood that the person she was having an audience with was a mask. When audiences were done and after a few days to rest and relax in Orchard Valley, Edgar was certain his mood would improve. In the meantime, Edgar began to fidget. 

“Edgar! Hold still! I’m trying to adjust the crown!” complained the jeweler.

Edgar quit fidgeting.

“There! You are all set, your Majesty.”

Edgar picked up his diamond and sapphire encrusted Royal Sceptre from the cushion in front of him and looked in the mirror.

There you are all jeweled up for the costume party, he thought. 

Still, the sooner he finished the Audience the sooner he could resume normal life. Or at least as normal a life that was possible for a King. He began to head to the throne room. Edgar got hot and the mantle itched. So much for divine. Divinity would never be this uncomfortable, thought Edgar.

As soon as she walked into the throne room Terra gave her name to the clerk. The clerk smiled and guided her to a seat that was to the left and out in front of the majority of seats.

“His Majesty wishes to inform you that you are first today.”

“Thank you,” Terra was getting nervous. 

The clerk noticed her nerves and smiled, “Relax. Edgar will try to make this as quick and painless as possible.”

“It’s just that this is all in public.”

“I know,” the clerk smiled and left Terra. 

A few minutes pass by. Five other people are seated by Terra as they awaited for the Audience to begin. 

A horn began to play a brassy fanfare.

“All rise for his Majesty, King Edgar!”

The entire room, including Terra, stood up. 

For the entire length of time that Terra had known Edgar, she knew he was the King. However, this was the first time she had ever seen Edgar formally dressed for that role. In addition to his splendidly rich clothing, the crown was encrusted with sapphires and diamonds, as was the sceptre in his hands. He was also wearing a massive ruby brooch that was pinned onto a sash. Edgar’s face was a still mask. 

Terra was both impressed and unimpressed. Impressed because it showed the importance of Edgar’s position in his kingdom. Unimpressed because she knew the man underneath all the glittering gems and stupendous clothing. Having shared a tent with him she knew of his tendency to snore at night. Edgar’s calmness in the eye of a storm. As he played with Rosie, his truly gentle nature. No wonder Edgar sometimes thinks of himself as a royal statue. When he is being formal he is made to look like a statue. She had seen some great beauties sidling up to him in their travels. Not one of them actually knew him. Not like she did.

Edgar was standing in the front of his throne. 

“Be seated,” Edgar commanded. 

Terra, being a mother whose family made up games to teach proper manners, curtseyed gracefully and proceeded to sit down. So did the other nobles with varying degrees of grace.

“Chancellor, call forth the first order of business this morning,” called Edgar in a ringing voice. It was made to be heard clearly throughout the throne room.

“Ms Terra Branford of the charity For the Orphans of Mobliz, come forth!” 

Terra stood and walked in front of Edgar and curtsied. Now that she was closer to Edgar she could see the humor in his eye. Terra wanted to laugh with him. They both knew that all this formality was useless at best. 

“Ms Branford,” intoned Edgar. “It has come to my attention that the ruined village of Mobliz is no longer habitable, is that correct?”

“Yes, your Majesty,” replied Terra.

“And you have some dozen orphans from Mobliz in your care, is this also correct?”

“Yes.”

“The Crown has recently seized a large house in South Figaro and a large sum of money from a traitor. It is the decision of the Crown to donate to your organization, the deed to this house in addition to all monies we have seized from this traitor. Let the blood soaked money of the Empire go to good use by allowing the children the Empire has orphaned the chance to live. Chancellor!”

“Yes, your Majesty?

“Please sign over the deed to that house to Ms Branford. Also give a formal transference of cash to the Royal Treasury in the name of Ms Branford. These are granted tax-free to the charitable trust of Ms Branford and the Orphans of Mobliz.”

“Yes, your Majesty.” the Chancellor bowed to Edgar. 

Terra was about to walk off.

“Don’t forget to curtsy!” the Chancellor hissed behind his smile.

Terra blushed then curtsied.

Edgar gave Terra a faint smile and a discreet wink. 

“This way Ms Branford. Ignore the peanut gallery. I have all the documents to await your signature, then a legal clerk will take you to the Royal Treasury. The clerk will talk things through with you with one of the Royal Bankers. It won’t take long. I know you have to get back to your children.”

The Chancellor lead Terra to an antechamber. All of the documents for her new home as well as a royal declaration for the transfer of funds were all laid out and spelled out exactly as Edgar had promised. The amount of the funds made Terra’s jaw drop. It was in the amount of fifteen million gil. 

“That’s half of the Davidson estate?”

“Oh, yes. Certified by the Treasury. All blood money for Sam Davidson’s treason. The King doesn’t want it. We both agree it’s much better for it to go some of the children that the Empire had orphaned. Enough for you and your children and possibly their children to lead quite comfortable lives. The people of South Figaro are pleased that money is going to children that suffered worse than they had. Now sign here and I will take your fingerprint in the place of a personal seal. The Treasury will send someone to you in a few days to create a seal for the account. Nothing can leave the account without verifying the seal. The Treasury will also set up things like a disbursement schedule while you are there.”

“You just said it wouldn’t take long.”

“It won’t. The Bankers know their job and have everything ready. They just need signatures and temporary fingerprints and the like. It won’t take more than a half hour or so. If require more assistance your Banker will be more than happy to help you when you are not in a time crunch.” 

Terra signed the required documents and the royal chancellor lightly inked Terra index finger and stamped it to the documents.

“Joseph!”

Another liveried courtier appeared. “Yes, sir?

“I must finish Audiences with the King. Please take Ms Branford to the Royal Treasury. Here are all the documents.”

“Yes, sir. This way Ms Branford.”

It was lunchtime again for Rose and her class.

The day has so far gone more smoothly than it had the day before. Rose was more comfortable around all the other children. She and Lizzy were having fun with the Cat’s Cradles and Lizzy began to teach Rose a new weaving. Rose had been asked to explain the Bow and Curtsy game and for the hour before lunch they had all practiced bows and curtsies. Ms Kayla smiled at the improvement from all the other children. Especially Lizzy. 

“Maybe you can come over after class and play with my brothers and sisters?” asked Rose. 

“I can’t,” apologized Lizzy. “As soon as we are done today, me and my Papa are going home. Papa is getting ready to slaughter pigs to cure for winter hams, bacon and the like. Mama me and my sisters will be cooking up vats of brine to cure the hams. After they have cured they all go in the smokehouse.”

Angelo’s face went pale. “I keep forgetting that pigs need to be slaughtered to be turned into food,” he confessed. 

“So do chickens and cattle,” said Rose. “When we were still in Mobliz we were having a hard enough time getting the chickens big enough for eggs. Smart animals like foxes kept breaking into our coop and killing the chickens.”

“Papa would tell you that chickens need a house of their own that is sealed from foxes and wolves to keep them out. You still need to be careful though. Once I saw a big fat sow break the chicken coops fencing after a wolf got into the pigpen. Sows can kill a person if you are not careful. My big brother walks the pens at night with a crossbow to kill any wolves or other wild animals that might break into them. He and my other brother rotate this job weekly.”

“Alright children, let’s line up for lunch.”

They lined up for lunch and walked towards the banquet hall.

As the day before, they all waited for the King before being seated.

One of Edgar’s Audience attendants took longer than Edgar had thought it would. Edgar was still wearing the Crown Jewels, although the Jeweler had taken his sceptre back to the vault.

Rose was a little amazed by the glittering jewels that Edgar was resplendent in. Rose could see was that Edgar was wearing his Crown. She quickly covered her mouth with her hands.

“What’s so funny?” whispered Angelo.

Rose shook her head. Only those who had been on Setzer’s airship would be able to guess. 

“Be seated,” commanded Edgar. 

Rose pursed her lips hard to keep her laughter inside as she curtsied. 

Edgar passed a note to a servant and gave him instructions. 

The servant then went to Rose with Edgar’s note. 

Rose read the note.

“I seem to have found my Crown.”

Rose burst out laughing. She couldn’t keep it in anymore. 

Edgar burst out laughing. They pointed at each other howling with laughter.

The rest of the Court was silently aghast at the sight of the King and the little girl laughing at each other. They were laughing so hard both of their faces turned red.

Still laughing, Edgar stood up. “Miss Rose, join me for today’s lunch.”

The servant escorted Rose to a place at Edgar’s left hand side. 

The rest of the Court began to murmur among themselves as Rose sat down and Edgar gave her a kiss on the cheek. They continued to chuckle and then get control of themselves. They ate and chatted and enjoyed each others company throughout lunch.


	17. The Barber of Figaro

The servant had come back to escort Rose back to class. As she was escorted back once again Rose noticed how people were talking and whispering to themselves. 

Rose took her place among her classmates again.

“Rose, what was it that you and the King found so funny?” asked Angelo.

“If I tell you, don’t get mad if you don’t understand. It’s a private joke between us.”

“I won’t get mad. I’m just curious what the two of you found hilarious.”

“The crown. I’ve never seen Edgar wear his crown before.”

“You are aware that King’s have Crowns, right?”

“Nevermind. I told you that you wouldn’t get it. When he sent that note, it was just too funny. At least to us. I bet Mama and Aunt Celes would have laughed too though.”

“Alright. Whatever. I guess I'm used to seeing him with the crown jewels and you’re not.”

“No. That’s not it either. Don’t worry about it. We know the shared joke. That’s all that matters.”

Lizzy asked, “Is it one of those jokes that you would have to be there to understand?” 

“Yes, Lizzy.”

“Rose, do you want to meet my Papa before we go? I bet he would like to meet you.”

“Sure. My Mama took my other brothers and sisters to South Figaro today. I’m not sure when she will be back so I have a little time to myself.”

“Good.”

The day progressed and before long class came to an end. 

“Please remind your parents, that this Monday is a religious holiday so classes are canceled. 

“What religious holiday?” Rose whispered to Angelo.

“Autumnal equinox. The Sisterhood of the Moon have religious services for the equinox. It’s a joint ceremony with the Brotherhood of the Sun. Non religious schools have school but the parts of the government will be closed as well as schools run by the Sisterhood and the Brotherhood. For us it’s a free holiday.”

“Come, Rose. Let’s go meet my Papa.” exclaimed Lizzy.

The two girls left the classroom excitedly and began to run in the hallways.

“Ladies, walk, don’t run!” called Kayla.

They slowed down and giggled as they walked. Lizzy lead Rose out a side corridor where there were several sheep tethered to a horse drawn wagon.

“PAPA!” squealed Lizzy.

James Oliver was a big man. He had been double checking the livestock.

“Lizzy!” he called. He stepped away from the sheep as Lizzy ran to him he picked her up and showered her with kisses. 

“Papa! This is my new friend I was telling you about, Rose.”

James turned his attention on Rose. James face was weathered from years out in the sun working with animals. There was a frankness about him that spoke of a working man who did not give off airs. 

“So your the one who made all the court butterflies nervous,” he said.

“Butterflies?” asked Rose.

“Yes. Those highborn butterflies. The ones who have never done an honest thing in their lives. Thank you for being so kind to Lizzy. She has been having a rough go in that class because she was not born highborn.”

“I’m not highborn either,” said Rose.

“Maybe not. But you have been kind to Lizzy, so I thank you. She was talking for hours about how nice you were. Now, I am afraid we have to go. We have to hurry if we are going to be home in time for dinner.”

“It’s been nice to meet you, Mr Oliver! Bye Lizzy see you on Tuesday!”

Rose waved until they left the courtyard. 

“You may not have been born a noble. But there is great nobility about you, Rose. A dignity.” came a voice. 

It was Edgar. He was dressed plainly in a linen shirt and plain pants.

“It isn’t the same as nobles who put on airs to try to impress each other. It’s a respect people give to you because they can see parts of themselves in you,” Edgar continued. “Lizzy Oliver who was not born noble but you treat with equal respect and kindness. Angelo de Tempsire who tries to hide that his father is the First Minister and my Chancellor, You see Angelo not his father the Chancellor. Like this afternoon. You saw right past the crown and saw me. It’s a rare gift, Rose. Don’t ever lose the ability to separate truth from illusion.”

Rose blushed, “I dunno about that.”

Edgar smiled, “Come. You need to pack clothes for a few days. So will your mother and the rest of your siblings. We are going to a quiet place for a few days. A bit of a working vacation.”

“What kind of work?” asked Rose.

“Picking apples. You and your siblings get to climb trees, pick apples for harvest, run around the orchards, and enjoy what I like to think of as a slice of heaven on earth.”

“Yeah, Rose. At this time of year there is no place like our family orchards to be in.” cut in the voice of Sabin. 

“You’re coming, then?” asked Edgar.

“Yes. The past couple of years have been crazy. I would like my slice of that heaven on earth I always remember. Maybe get a chance to sample some of the ciders as well.”

Edgar laughed, “Remember that time we broke into Father’s special bottle of apple brandy?”

Sabin winced, “I’ll never forget getting switched in addition to being hungover.”

“No switches this time, Sabin,” Edgar was smiling impishly at Sabin.

Their eyes gleamed at a shared memory. Sabin smile became as impish as Edgar’s.

Rose said nothing as Edgar and Sabin silently shared a memory of them as children.

Terra had just come back from South Figaro and was shouting orders about putting books and school uniforms away.

Rose. Edgar and Sabin approached Terra and the rest of the family. 

“Ask everyone to pack a couple of days worth of work clothes, Terra,” said Edgar. 

“Why? Where are we going?” asked Terra.

“Orchard Valley. Why don’t we all go and pick apples. Let the children run around the orchards, play, and have some fun while they do a bit of work. It’s actually very peaceful while we pick apples. Afterwards they can indulge in all the apples and juice they can load themselves down with. Trust me on this. I was shocked to hear that they are having a labor shortage. Most teenagers jump at the chance for weekend work at the orchards. While there is a lot of hauling for the boys, there is also a good chance to get into mischief. They get paid for it. Since its a royal property parents don’t mind since it’s a safe place.”

“You might want to keep an eye on some of the folks running the cloth mills. I heard a nasty rumor that if people went over to the orchards for the weekend, they were going to lose their jobs. Those people who run the mills are cutting back on days off and workers rights,” said Sabin.

Edgar nodded. “That could be why all of a sudden there is such a labor shortage. The orchards are considered a highlight of autumn. People had always come in the past, pay or not, just to be in the orchards a while.”

“That sounds relaxing,” said Terra. 

“Have everyone get ready, we will go as soon as they are ready,” said Edgar. 

Three hours later, Rose found herself a little chilly as a large wagon entered a valley between two mountains. It had grown quiet. New smells met Rose’s nose as she saw and smelled oak and maple trees turning from green to red and gold. Everyone’s eyes has widened at the sight of the trees. 

“Glorious, isn’t it?,” Edgar asked softly to not disturb everyone’s sense of awe. “Orchard Valley has always been the best place to be in the autumn. When the trees change colors and the apples are ripe, it’s magnificent. Leaving must have been the hardest decision in the world when Theodore Figaro became the first King of Figaro.”

“Why did he leave? How did he become the first King of Figaro?” asked Rose.

“Well, five hundred years ago, this was considered unclaimed land. Theodore Figaro’s grandfather, Lindor Figaro, had been a barber in what is now South Figaro. After saving an amount in cash, he bought the orchards from the feudal lord. It was considered poor land that wasn’t very good for the cash crops of the day. So the Baron sold it to Lindor, thinking that he would never make any money out of the land,” said Edgar. 

“Now, the Baron had been partially correct. In one sense, the since the land is in a valley it isn’t very good for things such as oats and is a little too cold for wheat or corn. One thing Lindor noticed was that fruit trees, particularly apple trees, liked the coolness of the valley. That first winter they managed to survive off of cold hardy plants like squashes and cabbages as well as all the apples they could eat. During the winter Lindor started to sprout apple seeds to plant in the spring. And when spring came, Lindor succeeded, his apple seedlings took hold and began to grow. Within ten years, Orchard Valley became successful in the apple market.”

“The problems started about twenty five years later, the old Baron had been happy with Lindor’s success and only asked for a share in the apples and appropriate taxes be paid. Like I said though, the Barons were feudal Lords. That means that the Baron could decide on a whim that a lucrative property could be seized for his own pleasure at the expense of the people who lived and worked the land. The old baron had died and his son took over. He decided to seize Orchard Valley and turn Theodore Figaro into a serf. Basically, an unpaid laborer that was tied to the land.”

“This wasn’t the only small steading that had happened to at the time. The Clarkson family over by Jidoor started out as goat herders. They took scrub land and created large herds of goats who can eat just about anything organic. This lead to an uprising and eventual war. Theodore Figaro became a respected warlord and general by his troops and the other leaders of the uprising. When they overthrew the Baron, Theodore was named as King of the new Kingdom of Figaro.”

“Theodore enacted certain land reforms guaranteeing rights to both land owners and the people who lived and worked the land. Serfdom was abolished. The Crown can only seize land under very specific rules set forth by Theodore and Kings who came after him. Theodore later married a desert Princess, whose father had no sons and was made his father in laws heir. That doubled the size of Figaro. The original castle was built on the desert, being more central to the different parts of Figaro.”

“Orchard Valley, though, has remained in the Figaro family. Lindor’s original home is no longer there, but the orchards are still there and have gotten larger with time. Every autumn the Harvest Festival is celebrated in South Figaro, to commemorate Theodore Figaro and the founding of this Kingdom,” finished Edgar.

“What happened to the Baron?” asked Rose. 

“Sadly, he was beheaded. Theodore Figaro and the other upstart landowners couldn’t afford to keep him alive. He could have returned to make more war on the new Kingdom. War is never pretty and hurts the poor the worst. It took another five years for the former warzone to become fertile again. A lot of poor people went hungry as Theodore rebuilt and tried to feed the people as best he could. Theodore was wise though. His marriage gave him a large enough dowry to be able to buy seed to replant with. Slowly, Figaro recovered.”

“War sounds awfully stupid.”

Edgar laughed “It is. War is sometimes called a game. I would much rather see things settled by a game of chess than open warfare.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All references to The Barber of Seville are quite deliberate. It had been written just prior to the French Revolution which dealt with many of the social issues that Edgar refers to here. Besides, with a name like Figaro I couldn't resist. Once again please feel free to comment.


	18. Shadows in the Night

A few minutes later, the valley opened up. All Rose could see was a seemingly endless rows of trees. There were wagons being loaded with apples as people worked and chatted. A few stopped and waved at Edgar and Sabin. There was a clearing were there were crates upon crates of apples.

“For the love of God, would someone please start hauling these crates onto the wagons! Edgar will be here soon and I don’t want him disappointed with all the crates that still need loading,” someone called out plaintively.

“Too late,” called out Sabin.

A mountain of a man threw up his arms dramatically. “See you slackers! I told you! Now I have to try to explain why nothing is done!”

Sabin lead the wagon closer to the clearing and stopped.

Edgar called out, “Paul, you are going to make your heart stop if you keep stressing the way you do.”

The man laughed, “Nah. These slackers will kill me sooner!”

Edgar and Sabin got out the wagon and gave the big man a handshake.

“You brought quite a group with you, Edgar.”

“Paul, let me introduce you to Terra Branford. Terra, this is Paul Binion, he is the Keeper of Orchard Valley. All those children are her adopted brood,” explained Edgar. 

Terra stepped out of the wagon and shook Paul’s hand. Terra then introduced all of the children to Paul. 

Paul paused when he was introduced to Rose. 

“A red-head! Do we have a future member of the Red Head Collective?” Paul began to stroke his auburn hair. He was smiling kindly at Rose and winked. Rose smiled back shyly. 

Edgar laughed, “Yes, indeed. Another apple in the orchard.”

“You made good time, Edgar. Supper is almost finished. Jackie is going to be pleased with all the extra hands this weekend. We might not need more than one extra person with your group here.”

“We came to help,” said Sabin. “There are some nasty rumors going through South Figaro about people coming up for weekend work. Harvest Festival won’t be the same without Figaro Apples.”

“Well, we can discuss that later after supper and a few pints of cider,” said Edgar. 

“I hope you don’t mind supping at the work camp. The main house has been damaged,” said Paul. 

“Is Princess Cottage still in good order?” asked Edgar.

“Princess Cottage is in good shape. Your group should be able to sleep there, but Jackie can’t cook the meals we need for a large group of people there.”

Edgar nodded, “That’s more than sufficient. It beats me trying to eat my own cooking.”

Terra snorted, “Good! I don’t think the children could survive trying to stomach Edgar’s cooking! I have had it a few too many times to want to expose the children to it!”

Paul burst out laughing, “You’ve experienced it then?”

“Sadly, yes. I have. Edgar is the only person I have ever met that could burn water!”

Paul talked conspiratorily, “It’s all the kingly living. Too many servants doing things for him. What he needs is a wife.” 

Sabin, Terra and Paul all chuckled. Edgar rolled his eyes but smiled in good humor. 

Paul was talking to the group as he lead them to the work camp. He was explaining on how Orchard Valley was lucky to have sustained little damage to the orchards themselves. 

“King’s Cottage was the only place were we saw real damage,” explained Paul.

“I’ll be forever grateful for that. It would broken the heart of Figaro itself if the orchards had been badly damaged,” said Edgar. 

They were lead to a large table were steaming platters of food were laid out.

A plump woman came away from the cook fires. 

“Sit down! Sit down! We have plenty for everyone. Edgar! Sabin! Is that any way to say hello?”

“Jackie!” they called in greeting and went to greet the plump woman. After Sabin picked her up to her laughter, she forced him to put her down.

“Now, who are these nice people you have brought with you?” asked Jackie. 

Edgar introduced Terra and the rest of her family. Rose once again stood shyly in the back as the others were introduced.

“Who is that in the back?” asked Jackie.

“Oh, that’s Rose,” said Terra. “You’ll have to excuse her. She gets shy around strangers.”

Jackie looked closely at Rose, “Ah, I see. A shy violet in the garden. Come, let’s eat. We can talk later.”

Food was passed out and the conversation became boisterous. Edgar noticed that Rose had once again been shut out of the talk of the table. She ate quietly and let others talk.

“Rose, it is not like you to be so quiet. Do I need to bring my crown to hear you laugh?” said Edgar slyly.

Rose was drinking a cup of apple juice. Her eyes went wide and she choked on the juice as she began to laugh.

Emma smiled, Carrie rolled her eyes. Edgar and Rose began to roar with laughter. Terra shook her head. Edgar got up and picked Rose up. He sat down with Rose in his lap.

“You should have seen Rose during lunch! There I am still bejeweled from Audiences and there is Rose in the back, trying her hardest not to laugh at me!”

Terra rolled her eyes.

“It didn’t help when you sent that note!” protested Rose. 

“I wanted you to laugh! The whole thing is ridiculous.”

Edgar began to whisper, “What I don’t like is when you start to clam up again. It doesn’t suit you at all. The girl who laughed at my crown isn’t a shy girl. Don’t let your fears stop you.” 

“I’m not afraid. It’s just...”

“You’re uncertain what to say?”

Rose nodded.

“You seem to know how to make friends easily. That goes a long way. It would be even harder if you did not have that ability.”

Rose shrugged. 

“And now you’re not talking to me? Hmm. What shall I do?”

Edgar began to tickle Rose. Rose started to laugh again. Edgar was merciless. He continued to tickle Rose until the tears were streaming down her cheeks.

Edgar kissed Rose on her forehead. Rose smiled and then they began to talk again.

A few hours later Edgar lead them deeper into the orchards. They were almost to the end of the valley when they saw a rather large house.

“That’s a cottage?” asked Terra

Edgar laughed, “Next to King’s Cottage, Princess Cottage is small. The house and its surrounding orchards belong to more distant relatives of the Royal family. The current owner is a second cousin of mine. A Countess. I hope at some point she will make good use of it. Until then, I am exercising some Royal prerogative to use it. She won’t mind.”

The house was two floors high as well as having a well appointed basement that had been converted into additional bedrooms. Before long, the children were being put to bed. Rose had barely laid down before she found herself drifting off to sleep. Exploration could wait until the next day. 

After the children went to sleep Edgar and Sabin left the house and walked back to the workers camp. Both Paul and Jackie were still awake.

Paul and Jackie were Keepers of Orchard Valley and thus had their own home in the Valley. They invited Edgar and Sabin to their private house after saying goodnight to the rest of the workers.

They had barely walked in the door when Jackie pounced on Edgar.

“Who are they Edgar? Especially the little girl. She looks just like Carolina Figaro!”

Edgar replied dryly, “Hello Edgar. How have you been. Would you like a cup of cider.”

Jackie flushed as she realized she was being rude. She had a tendency to forget that even though she had known Edgar and Sabin since they were boys, they were still the Royal Family. She had grown up with both Edgar’s father and his Aunt Carolina. 

“I’m sorry, Edgar. That was rude of me.”

Edgar smiled. “It’s alright, Jackie. But you don’t give a man a chance to breathe before you start on the questions.”

“Jackie didn’t mean to be rude. It was probably just the shock of seeing the spitting image of Carolina as a girl,” said Paul. Paul lead them to a table and poured a pint of cider for each of them.

Edgar sipped his cider with a pleased moan. It had been too long since he had drunk the ciders of his orchards. He looked at Paul and Jackie carefully and answered very carefully. 

“If Rose were an apple then I would say she comes from the original Carolina Red tree. BUT you must understand that she does not know this. It is very dangerous right now for anyone to know that any fruit from that particular tree still exist. She considers herself an ordinary apple and right now that is for the best. In time I will explain things to her. When she is older.”

“Edgar, that may well be a dream. If I can see the familial resemblance then so do other members of the Court,” said Jackie. 

“Right now the only other members of the Court who know or have guessed are the Chancellor and High Priestess Kayla. I have confided this to the Chancellor and Kayla would have guessed the same as you have. The other members of the Court think that she is a bastard child of mine and I won’t bother to correct them. If a falsehood helps conceal her identity, so be it. I'm pretty sure that particular rumor is spreading among the workers. Let it.”

“It’s a painful rumor. What if the child hears of it?” asked Paul.

“She already has heard the rumor. It doesn’t bother her as far as I can tell. If she starts to ask questions I will answer as fully as I can. Her safety is my priority right now,”

“I’m going to have to side with Paul, Edgar,” said Sabin. “Rose remembers enough of her father to know those rumors aren’t true. The Court isn’t going to be quiet about that. Someone will say something to her face and then, well, you know Rosie. Her temper will get the best of her. She will fight like the Hellfire she is and probably wind up getting hurt.”

Edgar frowned. He hadn’t taken into account Rose’s temperament. 

Paul chuckled, “She got Caro’s temper, too? Woe betide the snide bastard!”

Jackie laughed, “I remember some of the scuffles Caro got in.”

“Please. I am only telling you this because you knew Caro. You have known my family the best for the past fifty years. Don’t tell anyone. I can’t afford to have the rumor that Carolina Figaro’s granddaughter is still alive, out in the open.”

“What about Princess Cottage? That was Caro’s and was to be passed down her family,” asked Paul.

“I told Terra the house belongs to my second cousin who is a Countess. I just didn’t say that the Countess was Rose,” said Edgar.

“You love that little girl,” said Jackie shrewdly. “I can tell. It must hurt not to tell her everything.”

Edgar rubbed his face, “It does. I wish I could tell her about her grandmother and how close I was to her. I wish I could explain how she was left to my care. Hell, right now I would settle for explaining how we are related to one another. But I can’t. Not yet. Although I have never lied to her, it feels like I am by not telling her anything. That’s what really hurts.” 

Edgar and Sabin relaxed with Paul and Jackie having a few more pints of cider. After a while they walked back to Princess Cottage. Halfway back, in the shadows, a voice came.

“You sent the crow?”

Edgar was startled but not surprised. The man had a tendency to pop up when you least expected him to and Edgar knew that.

“I did. I need your help.”

“Something secret that Locke Cole could not ferret out for you? I’m flattered.”

A man left the darkness. The man was as much of a shadow as naturally occurring ones. That’s why he called himself Shadow. 

Shadow stepped forward. He had changed very little in the past six months. He was still dressed in head to toe black with a scarf tied around his face. 

Shadow’s eyes narrowed, “Or is it my other services you require?”

Edgar sighed, “I’m not certain. Assassination could be required. I don’t know yet.”

“What’s the job?”

“Baron Markus DeMille. Have you heard of him?”

“Yes. Why don’t you give me the details?” 

Edgar filled Shadow in with the details. Shadow said nothing as Edgar did so. 

“This won’t be cheap. Right now the price starts at five thousand gil. If assassination becomes a necessity the price will at least double.”

“I understand,” said Edgar. “I already have your initial fee. Come to the Cottage and I’ll pay you.”

“Why doesn’t Sabin go and get it. I am very hard to explain to Terra’s brood.”

“How long have you been watching us?”

“Two days. Enough to see the family resemblance between you and the little girl. You want this to protect her, don’t you?”

“Yes. Just the reputation of Markus DeMille is enough to worry me. Rose being who she is, is in danger from him.” 

Shadow nodded. Edgar told Sabin where to get the money for Shadow. When Sabin came back, Shadow took his money.

“This Baron is a dangerous man. If I send the crow again, you should know that he is heading towards you. I’ll be here as fast as I can. If I send a pigeon the message is to send Locke Cole to Nikeah for my report back.”

“Thank you,” said Edgar. 

“Tell Terra that her beet soup is delicious, even if the kids didn’t like it.”

“Have you been keeping an eye on her as well?” asked Edgar. 

“Every few weeks, yes. You’re not the only one who didn’t like the idea of her being alone with her brood. Evil people like this Baron would have gone after her if they had known that she was there. When Mog next allows himself to appear tell him to keep being his cuddly self. That will probably give little Rose the best protection of all.”

“I had wondered where he had vanished.”

“Mog didn’t leave. He just doesn’t want to be seen until he is needed. When people do see him they don’t think of him as a guard. People think of him as a pet, until he sinks his spear into them. He is using that to his advantage right now.”

Edgar nodded. He had quite a few questions for Shadow. Shadow would never answer them though. 

“Don’t forget about the birds,” was the last thing Shadow said. He then disappeared. Once again fading into the darkness.

Sabin was silent. He knew there were a few secrets that Edgar held because he felt he needed to.

After a few minutes, Sabin asked softly, “How did you know he was still alive?”

Edgar looked at Sabin, “He sent a crow to me a few months ago. I understood the message. If I needed him, send back the crow. With everything going on, I feel it’s best to send him in after Baron DeMille. Don’t get me wrong Locke is damned good. If things wind up turning into an assassination, Shadow is better. As you heard, he is able to watch and collect information for days without anyone ever seeing or suspecting him. He was watching over Terra in Mobliz. I’m betting he is better than Markus DeMille. We will keep watch.”

With that Edgar and Sabin walked back to the cottage.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prerogative is a funny word. Most Americans misspell it as perogative and to be honest so did I until I googled it. Writing! It's a learning experience!


	19. Fog

The next morning Rose was once again up early. It was cold as she got dressed and went downstairs. Someone must be have been up. The fireplace was crackling and was giving off a steady warmth.

“Up already?’ came Sabin’s voice. He smiled at Rose. “You sure are an early riser. You’re up even earlier than Edgar and he usually wakes at first light.”

“I’m up, just not making much of a fuss,” came Edgar’s voice. He was seated in a chair looking out a window with a book in his lap. “It’s good to be awake and not have twenty pieces of paper being shoved in my face before I am even out of bed.” He stretched languidly and stood up. 

“Come, let’s take a look at the true beauty of Princess Cottage now that it is light.”

Rose followed Edgar outside.

It was indeed beautiful to look at. There was a light fog that gave the trees and gardens a shrouded look that made them appear more out of a dream than reality. The light that filtered through the fog gave more to the dream like illusion adding hints of pink and gold to the trees and fog. There was little noise from birds. It was as if the birds didn’t want to spoil the beauty of the moment with their chatter.

Rose smiled as a great sense of peace entered her.

“When the fog lifts people will be able to see it for miles surrounding the valley. Sometimes people come thinking that a fire was been through the orchards and come to investigate. It is said that’s what first attracted Lindor Figaro to this valley. He saw the fog and thought it was fire. Seeing the beauty of the apple trees must have felt like a divine revelation. Even now, this is what I like to think that the heavens must be like,” said Edgar softly.

“That’s why after all these years we have hung onto this valley. In many ways it has become the beating heart of Figaro itself. That’s what Edgar meant that the destruction of this valley would break the heart of the kingdom,” said Sabin equally softly.

“A little battered but no worse for the wear. Orchard Valley will heal quickly,” said Edgar.

“Don’t you guys ever sleep?” asked Terra, who came out to join them. 

“I did sleep in,” said Edgar. “I woke up at dawn instead of pre-dawn. That’s qualifies for sleeping in to me.”

“Same here, Terra. I usually get up even earlier than Edgar to begin my morning workout,” said Sabin. 

“No wonder you look like a bodybuilder who strayed from his gym,” said Terra with an impish smile.

Sabin chuckled. It seemed to Rose like they were sharing a private joke.

“Now, Rose. Go grab your jacket. I don’t want you to catch cold,” instructed Terra.

“What? No grilling of why Rose is also up at dawn?” said Edgar teasingly.

“Rose is always up at dawn. Her idea of sleeping in is as bad as you two,” retorted Terra. “Go Rose,” she commanded. 

Edgar, Rose and Sabin chuckled at Terra and Sabin began to tease her calling her a lazybones. Rose did what she had been instructed and grabbed her jacket. When she came back outside, Edgar had a basket full of different kinds of apples. He smiled and winked at Rose. 

“We will taste test these later. Let’s go and explore the orchards for a while.”

Rose and Edgar stepped out into the orchards. The fog clung to them as they walked into the trees. To Rose it felt as if she were walking in the clouds and mentioned this to Edgar.

“Well, Rose, it’s a good analogy. You see, fog is a cloud that lies low on the earth when it is cool. As the earth warms up the cloud lifts to rejoin the sky,” explained Edgar. 

“I kind of like it where it is. It feels like nothing else,” said Rose. 

“That’s because it is cool out. If it were warm, you would feel warm and sticky. You feel a lot of that warm stickiness in South Figaro when the oceans warm waters creates a warm fog. It feels quite a bit different than the cool crispness of Orchard Valley.”

“The ocean around Mobliz always felt cold.”

“The ocean around Mobliz is colder than in South Figaro. The ocean has both warm and cold water currents. South Figaro is close to a warm current. Mobliz is by a cold current. That’s why the feel of the ocean is very different in South Figaro next to Mobliz. The warmth and ease of building ocean harbors is what makes South Figaro a harbor town. The coldness and the cliffs that Mobliz is built on top of make it hard to build harbors, which is why even pre-Cataclysm Mobliz was pretty isolated,” explained Edgar.

“Uncle Edgar, who taught you all this stuff? I can’t even begin to guess where you learned it.”

“Books, mostly. As Crown Prince my freedom was always tied up because I was going to be King one day. My only refuge away from being a future King was in books. I would read just about everything and anything I could get my hands on to escape those responsibilities. Even if only for a little while,” Edgar sighed. “You’ll learn, Rose, that we have very little choice in the stations of life we were born into. I was born to be King. As I grew older, I wanted nothing more than to live the much less complicated life of an engineer. A part of me will always want that. There was no one else who could be King though. Not even Sabin. In the end, becoming the King was the right choice. Now, I worry about you, Rose. In the end, will you take freedom or will you be like me and make the right choice?”

“I don’t understand,” said Rose. “I’m just an orphan. Not a King or Queen or even a noble.”

“When the fog lifts and the path is clear, you will understand,” said Edgar cryptically. “We should head back. Breakfast should be ready.”

“Is there something you are not telling me?” asked Rose. 

Edgar stopped. “There is a lot I’m not telling you. I can’t. Not yet. In the coming weeks you will hear all sorts of rumors. Some of them you might already have heard. Ignore the rumors. No matter how much it hurts. Ignore them. You know that I am not your father and people will try to make it seem like I am.”

“Angelo said we sorta look alike,” mumbled Rose. 

Edgar nodded, “We do. There are reasons for that. I can’t tell you why right now. What I am asking is that you trust me. Please, Rose, trust me. The only reason I am even telling you this much is to prepare you for the rumors. I am trying to spare you as much pain as I can.”

“Will we still be friends?”

Edgar laughed, “Everything hinges on us being good friends.”

“Then I trust you.”

Edgar picked Rose up and showered her with kisses. “Thank you.”

They finished their walk back to the house, Edgar keeping the conversation much lighter than it had been. Rose saw that her other brothers and sisters were awake.

“You made good time, Jackie sent word that breakfast is almost ready back in the work camp,” said Sabin. 

“I thought as much,” replied Edgar. “Let’s head on over there. After we eat, Paul will have work assignments for us. I figure you and I and the rest of the boys will probably be hauling most of today. You ladies will probably be picking and sorting. Jackie will teach you about the different apple varieties that are grown here. Don’t be afraid to have fun. The work goes a lot faster if we have fun while we work.”

They headed into the work camp. Rose was surprised to see the Chancellor was there with several other boys and girls. Edgar noted how both Rose and Angelo’s face lighted up when they saw each other. They were all dressed in plain clothes for work. 

Edgar ran out and shook hands with the Chancellor and greeted the rest of his family. Rose and Angelo greeted each other and began to run around the work clearing.

“You two, come and settle down!” called Terra. “Eat first, then you two can go play.”

“I can only hope we have as much energy as those two,” commented The Chancellor. “I’m afraid I’ve been doing desk duty a little too much lately.”

“With all the boys and everyone else, you should be just fine counting the sorted crates,” commented Jackie. “It’s the same job as last Harvest festival. You are the best at counting.”

“Can I make the excuse that I am getting old?”

Edgar laughed, “You’re only forty!”

They all laughed and they began to eat the breakfast that they had been served.

Jackie noticed that both Rose and Angelo were busy talking and laughing with each other.

“She’s not really all that shy is she, Edgar?” she commented softly. 

“No, Rose isn’t. She’s been isolated in Mobliz for almost as long as she can remember. A lot of her shyness has to do with crowds of people. She isn't used to that at all. That’s one of the reasons I asked the Chancellor to join us up here this weekend. Rose is still too small for either picking or sorting, so I wanted her to have a friend along for her to play with. Angelo is also still too small for such things as well. Besides, I know you need all the hands you can get right now.” 

They all continued to eat and when breakfast was finished Paul had come over. 

“Now, first things first. Rose, Angelo!”

“Yes, sir?” asked Angelo. Rose stayed quiet and let Angelo talk for her.

“You two are still small for helping out with picking and sorting. What I have decided to have you do is explore deep into the orchards. In here, somewhere, there is a copse of maple trees. I have a surprise hidden within a treehouse in there. Find the surprise and come back here with it by lunchtime. Take your time and have fun. Don’t worry about getting lost. If you are not back by lunch then I will send out someone to look for you. Just be careful running. The leaves are wet and I don’t want you to get hurt by sliding on leaves. Now, GO!”

Rose and Angelo jumped away from the table and began to run into the orchards, giggling and laughing about finding the treehouse first.

“Partners in crime, already,” said Terra drolly.

“They have both needed one,” said the Chancellor. “You are lucky, Ms Branford. I don’t think it will take too much for Rose to come out of her shell. Angelo is different. He is too smart for his own good and doesn’t realize that not everyone is as smart as he is.”

“I think Rose is every bit as intelligent as Angelo is, and that helps,” said Edgar. “When Rose gets used to being around people she will go a long way to introduce the right friends to Angelo. They are already becoming a bit of a trio with Miss Oliver. She is not as smart as those two, but is drawn to Rose. As Rose gets older she will learn to use her own magnetism and draw the right people and repel the wrong ones in her life.”

“By the way, Your Majesty, Kayla wanted me to warn you that Dennis Clarkson might try to stir up trouble with Miss Rose.”

“Then, I am wagering on Rose to win. She won’t start the fight, but she will damn well finish it.”

“Edgar, you shouldn’t encourage her to fight,” cut in Terra. 

“Rose won’t be able to help herself, Terra. Am I wrong, Owen?”

Owen blanched as he remembered his last two fights with Rose. No, Rose wouldn’t start the fight but she would do whatever it took to win.

“No, sir,” was all Owen said. He remembered the thrashing Edgar had given him for picking on Rose. He was just now able to sit properly from it. Rose would rain Hellfire on someone who picked on her.


	20. Clever

Rose and Angelo ran through the trees. Workers were climbing the trees and attaching special belts to hold them in place while they worked. 

“Hey, Rose, I think I figured it out,” said Angelo.

“Figured what out?”

“How you are related to the King.”

“If you are going to say that you think I’m his daughter or something, you’re wrong. I remember just enough of my Papa to know that.”

“No. You had mentioned that before. I was thinking though, there are other more distant relatives to the King. Edgar’s Aunt was married to the Duke to the Veldt. If I read correctly, Mobliz is on the edge of the Veldt.” 

“It used to be. A lot of the Veldt is now an island. There is the wreck of a huge tower on what remains of it that were attached to Mobliz.”

“Yes, well the King had cousins who lived in or near Mobliz.”

“But do you know this as a fact?”

Angelo’s face fell, “No. I don’t. If my father knows, he won’t say anything.”

“Then we can’t say anything. Something Edgar had said earlier tells me we shouldn’t talk about it either.”

“What did Edgar tell you?”

“I had mentioned what you said about us sorta looking alike. Edgar said there are reasons, but he couldn’t tell me yet. He asked that I trust him. I do trust him.”

“But, Rose! That confirms it! Edgar knows that you are related to him!”

“ANGELO! I don’t want to hear it! Edgar is my friend and that’s all! Anything else is not for me to know. Edgar has his reasons and I am trusting his judgment on that. Now I am asking that you trust his judgment too.”

Angelo was looking directly at Rose. Her face was dead serious. Once again it reminded him of Edgar when he was dead serious. 

Angelo sighed, “Alright I’ll trust him too. It’s just… I don’t really like mysteries much. Right now you’re the biggest mystery I’ve ever met. I don’t understand the reasons why either.”

“Grown-ups do things for all sorts of reasons. Most of them are stupid. Sometimes you think they are stupid until you are given the reasons things are the way they are.”

“I don’t think your safety is a stupid reason, Rose” cut in a voice. 

It was Edgar. Both Rose and Angelo jumped at his voice. Angelo turned red and hung his head. Rose looked at Edgar directly. After all she had been trying to get Angelo to shut up and Edgar probably heard that.

“Both of you, sit.”

It was an order. The look on Edgar’s face said he would not tolerate argument. 

They sat down, and Edgar sat down with them. Edgar was looking directly at Angelo. Angelo couldn’t meet his eyes. Edgar smiled faintly at Angelo. 

“You’re father is right about you, Angelo. You are too clever for both your own and Rose’s good. I knew when Rose mentioned that you could see our resemblance that you would probably figure it out. Before I say anything more, you must swear that what I will tell you does not leave the two of you. Rose’s safety depends on it.”

“I promise,” said Rose. “I already said I trusted you.”

“I know. You have tried your best. Now, Angelo, Do you promise?”

“Yes,” said Angelo. He was still looking at his feet.

“What have you managed to figure out so far?”

“That Rose is from Mobliz. That you had an Aunt who married the Duke of the Veldt. You had two cousins who lived either in or not far from Mobliz,” mumbled Angelo. “The resemblance is too strong for it to be a more distant cousin.”

“How did you put these facts together?” asked Edgar. “Most people don’t remember Carolina that well.”

“It was something my big sister mentioned. Her history class was learning about Carolina Figaro DuBose. She was telling my father that she wanted to try for her knight’s shield. She took me to where her portrait is hanging in the Royal Gallery. I saw a picture there with Carolina as a child. She looked just like Rose. After class yesterday I went to the library and did some reading up on Carolina Figaro. It all adds up when you read that you had two cousins about your age. They would be old enough to be Rose’s father.”

“DuBose?” asked Rose. Edgar had once said her last name was DuBose.

“Yes. That’s your family name, Rose.” said Edgar. “Your full name is Rose Marie Figaro-DuBose. There are a few things where I don’t have all the details, like how your father died. I do have enough to know for certain that your father was my first cousin, Christopher Leon Figaro-DuBose. Your grandmother was my father’s sister, Carolina Figaro, who then added DuBose to her name. Your great grandfather and my grandfather were the same man, King Elias the Wise. No matter how you look at it, its a close kinship.” 

“Papa told me to hide under the desk, then the bricks fell on my Papa’s head.” Rose said very quietly. Tears formed in her eyes as she remembered. It was something she could never forget. The sounds, the smells. Anguish from her living nightmare choked Rose, as she began to cry. 

Edgar picked up Rose and held her in his lap. “Think back to before the bricks fell. Is there something else you remember?” he whispered. 

Rose began to wipe her eyes with her hands as she thought. “I remember my Papa writing on his desk. I was looking at a picture on the wall. I can't remember much of the picture except for swords and orange roses. I asked Papa what he was doing. He said he was trying to send a letter to his cousin Edgar...” Rose’s eyes widened as she looked at Edgar. 

“Yes, sweetheart. Your father wrote a letter to me. He was trying to get help getting the people of Mobliz out of there. Your Uncle Matthew was also trying to do the same. From Matthew’s letter the earthquakes were terrible. The burning light didn’t help.”

“But, Uncle Edgar, if my Papa wrote to you, how come you never got us out of there?”

“Your Papa died before he could send that letter to me. The only other person who knew about it was Terra. By the time she knew, it was already too late. The only people left in Mobliz were your brothers and sisters with only Terra to care for you. I’ve tried to get your brothers and sisters out of there, but Terra didn’t want to go. Since I didn’t know about you then, I respected her wishes. The past two years have been hard on everyone, but they have been harder on Terra especially. I didn’t want to make things harder for her than they already were.”

“How did you find out about me?”

“Well, Terra has been writing about you and your temper since we all went home. Remember Rose, until this most recent trip to Mobliz, you would always hide when you saw me. When I stepped into that fight between you and Owen, It was like looking at a family picture. My Aunt Caro in miniature! Temper and everything! Your grandmother was famous for her short temper. I knew my cousin had lived in Mobliz. Your father did not like people knowing he was the son of a Duke and was related to the Kings of Figaro. Uncle Sabin is a lot like that.”

“One thing I do need to mention was that your father’s brother kept in pretty close contact with me. He had mentioned in a letter about your father’s marriage to your mother and later about your birth. Family news, really. Matthew also mentioned that your family were living in Mobliz.”

“Anyways, I asked Duane about the children he found,” continued Edgar. “He mentioned you had been found as a crying toddler in the basement of a mighty fine house. That intrigued me. Could it be that my cousin’s child was still alive? Uncle Sabin, Aunt Celes, Uncle Locke, and I went into that basement. I found your father’s letter to me. I found his diary as well as your grandmother’s formal Knight’s Shield.”

“At that point, I had almost enough information to confirm that I am your kinsman. Almost, but not quite. What I needed was your birth record. Before we get to that, though, let’s talk about some family history. When the Gestahlian Empire was starting to flex its muscles, my father had been poisoned. I was crowned as a seventeen year old boy-King. My Aunt Carolina supported my reign as the King of Figaro without the need for a caretaker.”

“Two years later, your grandparents were killed by a new type of machine. Aunt Caro and Uncle Ken were assassinated for their support. This was done to destabilize the governments in both Figaro and the Veldt. My cousin, your uncle, Matthew became the Duke of the Veldt. Before you ask, why wasn’t he a King, you should understand that the Veldt is comparatively small next to most Kingdoms. That’s why the Dukes and Duchesses themselves are sovereign. The title of the Duke of the Veldt is to be considered equal to my own as King of Figaro.”

“Matthew, though, wasn’t a very good Duke. The Veldt was being overrun by Magitek armor and devices. Matthew also had a problem with a Baron. A third cousin from his father’s side. Seeing that Matthew was a weak Duke, he made a deal with the Empire for the Title of Duke in exchange for allowing Imperial troops and machines through his lands.”

Rose’s eyes widened, then were replaced by a sense of anger. “Why didn’t Matthew do more?”

“I’m not sure, Rose. He had never prepared to step into the role of Duke. I think he was going to abdicate in favor of your father when Carolina died. All of a sudden he’s the Sovereign, with no clue on how to be one. Aunt Caro had observed my taking over as King. She saw I knew what I was doing, even if I was young to be the King. It was different. My grandfather and father had been teaching me over a long period of time on what it took to rule. Aunt Carolina learned as well, because being a Royal Princess, she would most likely marry a King or some other sovereign. And she did. When she married my Uncle Kenneth she was ready. Caro had written to my father her disappointment with my cousin over his disinterest in learning the politics and statecraft that is necessary to rule. They had tried to be sensible with Matthew, but again, he refused to accept his responsibilities. Then they were killed before they could name Chris as heir.”

“My father?”

“Yes. Matthew was made Duke and Christopher was given his freedom, to a point. You see, as much as Christopher hated it, he knew that before long Matthew would abdicate or he would have to overthrow Matthew to save the Duchy. Neither happened, though. The Cataclysm happened and both Matthew and Christopher were killed in less than a week. However, Matthew may have been a weak Duke, but he wasn’t stupid though.”

“Why? What happened?”

“He managed to get his Last Will and Testament written before he died. He did this because he did not know much longer he had to live because of the Cataclysm. He laid out some very specific orders on what was to be done after his death,” Edgar paused.

“Do you remember that night I went over to see your mother and she kicked me out because of the stink?” asked Edgar.

Rose giggled, “Yes.”

“I had been to DuBose Castle. I found your Uncle’s Last Will and Testament. I also found your birth record there along with several other documents. It was very specific. As the sole surviving member of the DuBose family, it names you as the Duchess of the Veldt. The will also places you in my care until you are of an age to take your place as Sovereign. It places the Duchy as a protected state of Figaro until you are able to take over as Duchess.”

Angelo’s eyes widen and he went pale. Edgar had forgotten that he was there.

Rose’s eyes narrowed, “Something is wrong though. You said something about my safety. What and why?”

“I also said you are a very clever girl. You are right. The reason I haven’t told you anything until now is a safety question. That Baron I mentioned earlier is also still alive. He still wants to be the Duke of the Veldt. He won’t hesitate to kill you just because you are a child.”

Rose’s eyes became as big a plates, “Me? What did I do? I don’t know anything about anything!”

Edgar gave Rose a tight hug. “This is why I didn’t want you to know anything. Worrying is my job, as is protecting you. Before I hear the why me question, this is what I meant about not having a choice about the stations in life we are born in. It’s an accident of birth. It’s something neither of us have wanted, but it’s something we were born to be.” 

“What happens now?” asked Rose very softly. 

“I want those rumors to go through the Court. If a lie helps conceal your identity, I am willing to let it. No one is to say anything about what I have revealed here. I am only telling you to keep the facts straight, and to press upon you the need to keep this a secret. Do you understand, Angelo?”

Angelo nodded wordlessly. He had no idea about the can of worms he had opened.

“What about Mama?” asked Rose.

“She already knows and understands the need to keep this a secret. I am not taking you away from her care yet. The more things don’t change the less attention it draws onto you.”

“I’ve been attracting too much as it is, haven’t I?”

“Not intentionally. Just enough to make the rumors spread. I know Mog is still around you in some form or fashion. Next time he appears to you, tell him I would like to speak to him.”

Rose nodded.

They sat quietly for a few more minutes. Enough time for Rose to put her thoughts together.

“Uncle Edgar?”

“Yes, sweetheart?”

“I thought you said you would be hauling crates today. What changed?”

Edgar chuckled, “No one likes the idea of their King doing manual labor. Besides, I injured my wrist during a practice session yesterday, so I am no good for picking either. I decided I would join the two of you in the treehouse. It’s better than sitting around doing nothing. Come, we had better hurry if we want to bring that surprise back to the work camp before lunch.”

They were quiet as they walked through the orchards. Somehow a sense of peace entered Rose’s heart knowing what the secrets Edgar hid were. Part of her was mulling over the danger that Edgar had warned her of. Before long they had reached a grouping of trees that were different than the ones in the rest of the orchards. 

There were aspens and maples and other trees that Rose couldn’t identify grouped in a quasi circle. Their leaves were changing color in the coolness of autumn. Rose had never seen so many different colors to the leaves. The smells were unlike anything she had ever smelled before. There was a faint whisper as leaves fell from the tree branches to the ground.

Rose forgot about their mission and ran into the falling leaves. Edgar shook his head as Rose also forgot about the slippery leaves and promptly slid, falling on her rear. Not caring that she was getting wet, Rose laughed as the leaves cushioned her fall. Now that she was lying among the leaves, the smells grew stronger as she lay there laughing.

“You’re going to get soaked,” laughed Edgar. Angelo was still being quiet. 

“I’ve never seen or smelled anything like this before,” said Rose.

“Didn’t you get autumn in Mobliz?” asked Angelo.

“Not like this. Not much was growing there anymore. My big sisters might remember if there was autumn like this, but I don’t seem to remember that.”

“When the Veldt was healthy, autumn there was very different,” added Edgar. “As cold as the waters surrounding the Veldt were the land itself was what is known as savanna land. It’s hot country. Tall grasses and few trees and scrub bushes. Winter there tends to be the mild. One of the Veldt’s best exports was acacia wood. Beautiful red marbling in the grain. It’s valuable stuff. Autumn would be a short transition from when the savanna went from being very hot to not quite so hot.”

In the center there was a large oak tree with a large treehouse in its boughs. There was a ladder leading up from the ground into the treehouse.

“There’s the treehouse. Angelo, go and see whats up in the treehouse.”

Angelo needed no prompting. He was eager to get away from Edgar and the fact that Edgar was probably angry with him. His father had warned him multiple times about his tendency to jump into things without looking where he was going. He had no idea it would lead him straight into an angry King who had plenty of reasons for wanting to keep secrets.

Angelo climbed the ladder and went into the treehouse. There was a large glass jar full of a golden brown syrup. It was a little too brown for honey. There was also a box full of cakes. Angelo knew what the syrup and cakes were by looking. 

“It’s maple syrup! There’s also a box of maple cakes!” shouted Angelo. 

“A true sampling of autumn’s best,” said Edgar. 

Angelo frowned from where he was, “How are we gonna get them down?” he called.

“There should be a pulley with a wooden board. Place them on the pulley and lower them.”

“Rose, come on. I know it’s a new experience, but your mother is going to kill me if I let you get completely soaked. No one wants you to catch cold either.”

Rose pouted, but stood up from the leaves. She noticed that their smell clung to her even after she brushed the leaves off of her.

“No pouting, Rose. There will more opportunities to play in the leaves tomorrow,” said Edgar.

Angelo found the pulley and board and lowered the syrup and box of cakes. 

“Let’s head back. Paul will send out a search party if we don’t show up soon,” said Edgar.


	21. Apples

The three of them walked back to the worker’s camp. They were all much more subdued than when they had left and Terra noticed it. Most of the workers were clapping and cheering as Sabin appeared to be in a crate loading contest with another worker. The worker was getting sweaty and tired where Sabin was getting sweaty himself but appeared to have loads of energy.

Edgar made a gesture to his Chancellor to notify him than Edgar needed to speak to him privately later. Terra was the only person to recognize this. Angelo seemed to be avoiding Rose. Rose ignored this and sat quietly at the table. Terra’s eyebrows clicked together at this. Something had happened during their walk.

Terra walked up to Edgar. 

“Edgar, what happened? They were so boisterous and appeared to be having a lot of fun. Now Angelo is avoiding Rose and Rose is by herself again.”

Edgar sighed, “I’ll tell you about it later. After the kids are all asleep.”

“What’s wrong?” Terra persisted. 

“It has to do with what his father said earlier about being too smart for his own good. I think he is more afraid of me right now than Rose. Give him a little while they will start playing again,” Edgar soothed.

“What makes you so sure?”

“Rose. Like I said yesterday, she is not really a shy person. Rose will only tolerate his avoidance of her for so long before she does something about it.”

Sure enough, Rose only waited another five minutes before she approached Angelo and practically pulled him off the bench. Angelo looked at her sheepishly and then they began to run out further into the orchards, this time staying close to the camp.

Edgar was drinking a pint of cider. He looked at Terra and raised his pint to her with a wink and smile. He had been right about Rose. Terra began to wonder if Edgar knew Rose better than she did. 

Rose and Angelo decided to stick fight. Angelo picked up a stick at random and Rose took a little time. 

“Hurry up, Rose!” called Angelo impatiently. 

“I’m looking for the right stick,” she replied. 

Rose searched until she found the right stick.

When Rose was ready she stood facing Angelo. The stick she had chosen wasn’t too thick nor was it too long for Rose to control. Angelo’s was thin and long. 

Edgar watched them with interest. If they were going to wield them as swords, Rose had been correct about her stick where Angelo’s would break with just the right force. Rose would also have more control of the shorter stick, where Angelo would have less with such a long, thin, stick.

“Ready, Rose?” called Angelo. 

“Ready,” said Rose. 

“En Garde!” called Angelo gleefully.

They leapt at each other. Angelo was wielding his stick wildly, where Rose was cautiously watching the long stick. She defended herself many times from it. Suddenly, Rose sprang forward and snapped the stick in Angelo’s hand in half.

Edgar took a sip of his cider to hide his smile. That had been an excellent move by Rose.

“You might want another stick,” said Rose. 

“I like this one,” said Angelo. 

“Yeah, but if it breaks again, you might get hurt,” replied Rose. 

“I’ll be okay.”

Edgar said nothing. Rose had tried to be chivalrous. That was all she could do.

“I’m fine,” said Angelo firmly.

“Ready?”

“En Garde!” called Angelo, leaping at Rose.

Once again, Angelo swung the stick wildly, while Rose exhibited control and this time completely disarmed Angelo. The stick broke completely apart in his hand.

“Oww!” called Angelo. He was shaking out his hand. 

“Are you all right?” asked Rose.

“It stings,” was all he said.

Terra walked up to the two of them and knelt by Angelo. She examined his hand. “You’ll be alright. You should have listened when Rosie told you to get another stick. That one was too long and brittle. That was why Rose took her time to choose a good stick. It’s something she had learned getting smacked a few too many times with her other siblings.” 

Sabin sat next to Edgar with a groan with his own pint of cider. He observed Rose and Angelo as they once again began to stick fight. 

“It wouldn’t hurt if she learned the rudiments of self defense, you know.”

“You’re right. Self defense sounds like a good idea,” said Edgar. 

“We should talk about it with Terra.”

Rose once again disarmed Angelo. Angelo was asking how she got so good at stick fighting.

“Mama. She knows how to handle swords, you know. Mama taught us a few things to keep us from getting hurt.”

“Really?”

“Really.”

Edgar once again smiled into his cider. Terra had been primarily a mage, but Terra still knew how to chase him around the practice ring with a sword. Maybe, he should ask her to work out with him every once in a while. It would be good for them both.

Sliced apples began to get laid out on the main table. There were quite a variety of apples to taste. 

“Rose,” called Edgar. “Come here. I want you to sample some of the apple varieties that are produced here.”

Rose walked over to where Edgar and Sabin were sitting. Sabin was drinking deeply a tankard full of pressed apple juice. Rose’s eye boggled at the different colors and types of apples.

“Go on Rose,” said Edgar. “Try the apples.”

Rose looked carefully at the apples. She picked one out that was deep red with an off white flesh. It certainly looked like the picture of what an apple should look like.

She took a bite. Then she frowned. She did finish the apple slice but it tasted nothing like how it looked like. 

Sabin chuckled, “Tastes a lot worse than it looks, huh Rose?”

“Well, it looks pretty...”

“But tastes like paper,” finished Edgar. “That’s called a Red Beauty. It’s the apple most people think of of when they hear the word apple. It looks gorgeous but tastes bad. The skin is thick and bitter and the flesh has almost no flavor. These are purchased almost exclusively for livestock for the high fiber content. Try another I can guarantee the rest taste a lot better than Red Beauties.”

Rose examined the other apples. She next selected another apple. It’s skin was bright red with a pinkish cast to it. It was juicy and the flesh was white. Rose bit into the apple slice.

Her eyes widened and she put her hand to her mouth as she chewed.

“It’s SOUR! In a good way, though. Almost like a piece of sour candy.” Rose finished the slice. As sour as it was, it was still good to eat. 

Edgar laughed, “That’s the Carolina Red. It was bred for sourness and is best when used for cooking. It’s the apple that holds up best in a pie or other cooked use. As it cooks it gets sweeter. It’s juices are also used for blending in cider and juice production. It was named after my aunt Carolina by my grandfather to commemorate her birth.”

Rose drank some water to clean out some of the sourness. She then examined the other apple slices. There was another slightly pinkish fleshed one with a red and green skin. Rose picked up this slice and ate it. 

Edgar was looking at Rose as she bit into the apple. Her eyes glazed over in pleasure at it’s taste. 

To Rose the apple was sweet but a little tart at the same time. It was juicy to bite into and had a satisfactory crunch. It was the best tasting apple she had ever eaten.

Edgar and Sabin smiled at Rose’s expression. 

“What you are now delighting in is five hundred years of history, and the foundation of a Kingdom. The Figaro Apple. The original apple cultivated by Lindor Figaro and made him successful in the apple market. The Figaro Apple is widely considered to be the King of Apples,” said Edgar.

Rose’s eye were wide as she swallowed. “It’s the best apple I have ever tasted. I think I could eat that all day.”

“Lindor couldn’t grow enough of them. The first year he had enough to sell to the general public, no one had ever tasted such an apple before. He had sold out of his entire stock in two days. The Figaro Apple made Lindor a very rich man in a matter of years. Bakers would come to Lindor exclusively for his apples. Cultivars would also pay to learn Lindor’s secrets. They could never compete though. There is something about the soil properties that are found only here in Orchard Valley that makes the Figaro Apple as good as they are. Many cultivars have tried, but they just can’t get that flavor exactly as it is found here.”

“Even now, people pay top gil for Figaro Apples. After the Harvest Festival, apple buyers from all over will descend on South Figaro for apples. It’s what built the harbor there originally and helped Figaro become one of the most powerful countries on the northern continent,” finished Sabin.

Emma sat next to Rose. “My Mama had been a baker. She would combine Carolina Reds with Figaro Apples for the best tasting apple confections. They were so good that Duke Matthew would send her special deliveries of Carolina Reds and Figaro Apples so she could make them for his Longnight parties. It’s interesting to hear the history of the apples themselves.”

“Did you ever meet the Duke?” asked Edgar.

“No, but I knew his brother. It was Christopher who put the Duke in contact with my Mama. Mama had worked for Christopher as a cook before he married and afterwards as a part time nursemaid when Rosie was a baby. That’s how I knew Rosie’s first name when she was pulled from the basement of his house.” Emma’s voice became very soft. “He had mentioned you were his cousin at one point. You’re related to Rosie, aren’t you?”

“Can you keep a secret?” Edgar asked equally softly. 

Emma nodded.

“Don’t mention that you know that Rose and myself are related. I’ll explain why later,” said Edgar.

Seeing that Edgar was dead serious she replied, “Of course.”

Edgar was thinking that keeping Rose’s identity a secret was damn near impossible. Now, he could only pray that those who did know of his connection to Rose could keep their mouths shut.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Basically, as far as the apples go, Red Beauties are the equivalent of Red Delicious apples. Carolina Reds are a color variant of Granny Smith's and Figaro Apples are McIntosh apples. McIntosh really is considered the king of apples and many currently popular apples (Pink Ladies, Gala, Granny Smith's) are bred from McIntosh. Personally, McIntosh are my faves and I really can't stand Red Delicious. What apple is your favorite?


	22. Apple Brandy

That evening Emma began to explore the kitchen of Princess Cottage. Talking about her mother’s baking made her want to bake. She was surprised by the number of goods and ingredients that were in the kitchen. Seeing the basket of apples she also began to check for spices. Smiling she began to hum to herself and peel, core and slice apples. Fourteen years in her mother’s kitchen taught her the basics of cooking and baking. When her mother baked her special confections for the Duke she had been her mother’s best helper in the kitchen on those days.

Satisfied with what she had, Emma checked on the kitchen oven. It was one of the newer porcelain stoves that allowed for delicacy of oven temperature. She then added firewood to the chamber and lit it with some coals from the fireplace. Having peeled and sliced the apples she wanted to use, Emma began to add spices to the peeled apples. She covered the combined apples and spices to allow the flavors to blend as she then tackled a thin and flaky crust for apple tarts. The cool shelf had a large ball of butter which she used for her tart crust with just enough left over to add a pat onto the apples themselves. 

“Your mother taught you well,” came Edgar’s voice out of nowhere. 

Emma jumped ten feet. She had lost track of things outside her memories and her love for the tarts themselves.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to frighten you,” said Edgar.

“I was just remembering my Mama and her love for cooking and baking. I got lost in my thoughts,” said Emma. “I saw all the apples and just wanted to live in my memories of her for a little.”

“Do you know how she knew Chris?”

“Mama said she had worked for his mother as a cook before she married my father. When Chris moved into Mobliz, he already knew her. Mama was a much better cook than Chris, so he hired her as his cook until he married his wife. Chris’s wife Judy was an alright cook. Sometimes when Mama would help out with Rose, she would also help out Judy with her cooking. No one could match my Mama’s baked goods, though. Both Chris and the Duke paid her fat commissions for her baking for special occasions. I always said Mama should have opened her own bake shop. But, Mama never did. Mama said what she did for the Duke and Chris was much more like baking for family than a business.”

“Not surprising, since she was a cook for their mother. I think I might have met her a couple of times. She always loved it when she had visitors to the kitchen. Her name was Beth, wasn’t it?”

Emma nodded at Edgar, surprised.

“If those tarts are half as good as your mother’s, if you want, I’ll speak to my Head Cook at the castle about a position. I know the Head Cook would love to finally have someone who knows their way around a kitchen.”

“Why?”

“Because Carolina, Matthew and Christopher would be highly disappointed in me if I didn’t take care of the people they thought of as family. I would bet a large sum of money that when your mother married your father, Carolina gave a great wedding gift to your mother. Easily enough for newlyweds to have good start at married life. That was how she was.”

“You really did know them,” said Emma softly. 

“I was very close to Carolina. Now, speaking of them. I must press upon you the need to keep the knowledge of Rose’s parentage a secret. I can’t give you details, but Rose’s safety depends on it.”

Emma shook her head, “No. I won’t say anything. I’ve known her a long time and I haven’t said anything.”

“Thank you.”

Things went silent between them as Emma began to press her tart dough into the tart pans. There was even enough left for a top decoration.

Emma checked the oven temperature and finding it correct began to bake the tart crust.

“Why do you bake the crust first?’ asked Edgar. 

“If I were to fill it now, it would be too soggy after I add the apples. It wouldn't bake right.”

The front door opened and the shouting of children began to fill the room. 

“Rose! Angelo! You two need to bathe first. You have been running around in the dirt and mud for hours! Go clean up!” shouted Terra.

“Something smells good!” said Rose. 

“ROSE! BATH NOW! Then you can find out what smells good.”

“Is Emma baking again?” persisted Rose.

“ROSE!!!”

“FINE! WHATEVER!” shouted Rose. She grudgingly stomped upstairs making a great deal of noise. She was mumbling about just wanting to know what Emma was baking. 

“Angelo, come. There is another bathroom downstairs. This house has indoor plumbing. So there should be readily available hot water,” said Terra.

Emma shook her head. She was used to Rosie’s fiery temper. It wasn’t the first time Rose and Terra clashed over bath and bed time.

Terra then began to get the rest of the children organized for bath and bed time. After about ten minutes there was a shout of “NEXT!” as Rose got out of the bathroom and another of her sisters walked in. 

Rose was now in a plain nightgown and dressing gown. She had her combs and brushes with her as she sauntered back downstairs. Being wet, her hair was now a brownish color as she waited for it to dry. 

Emma pulled out her now baked tart crusts. 

“What are you making today Emma?” asked Rose enthusiastically.

“Apple tarts. My Mama’s special recipe. Being around so many apples just makes me itch to make it! But, it will be at least an hour before you can sample any. I just baked the crusts and they need to cool before I fill them.”

“Rose, come here and let me comb out your hair before it tangles on you,” said Terra. 

Rose went to Terra who picked up the fine toothed comb. 

“Mama. I was told that you should use the wide toothed comb. I was told my hair is too thick for that one.”

“Who told you that?”

“Edgar and Edgar’s friend Mary.”

“Hmmph”

Terra proceeded to use the fine tooth comb on Rose. 

“OWW!!” as the comb snagged on Rose’s hair.

“Terra, let me handle Rose’s hair,” offered Edgar. “She’s right about the comb. Her hair is much too thick for a fine toothed comb like that. All you are doing is hurting her.”

Terra gave Edgar a look full of daggers. It confused Edgar. He had no clue as to why she was angry with him.

“Fine. You deal with it.” Terra then began to get after the rest of the children.

“Why is she so angry?” murmured Edgar for Rose’s ears.

“I don’t know. She’s been like that since you told Mama you needed to speak to Emma,” said Rose. 

“I’ll have to talk to talk to her about it, later.”

Two hours later, all of the children and been carted off to bed with their bellies full of Emma’s tarts. 

Edgar reminded Emma about that possible job, who promptly blushed and thanked Edgar.

Terra said nothing. Sabin noticed that Terra seemed to be avoiding Edgar. 

After all the children were asleep Terra went back downstairs and listened to Edgar and Sabin chat. 

“So what did you need to speak to Emma about?” Sabin asked Edgar softly. 

“Keeping what she knows about Rose a secret. It turns out that Chris didn’t live in a bubble. Do you remember Caro’s cook, Beth, when we were children?”

“Yes. She was sweet. The times I was sick when we visited Aunt Caro, Beth would make special soups and meals for me.”

“Beth was Emma’s mother. Apparently she left Aunt Caro’s service when she married. Emma’s mother had been Chris’s cook before he married and after Rose was born was a part time nursemaid for Rose.”

“What was that talk about a job offer?” cut in Terra, who joined Edgar and Sabin. 

“I told Emma that if her tarts were half as good as the ones her mother used to make, I would talk to the Head Cook about getting her a job, if she wants it. Before you get mad, Terra, the older children are going to want to start thinking about that. Based on how good Emma’s tarts were, Beth taught her daughter well. If she wants it, there is a job for her.”

“But it’s Emma’s choice though, correct?”

“Yes. If Emma wants to continue school, she can. If she wants both, I think that is also doable. What the older children need to know, though, is they now have choices that they didn’t have before. From shipwrights to cobblers there are plenty of jobs to be had and to learn about. It’s all about what they want to do with their lives.”

Terra smiled ruefully. “They don’t tell you about when children grow up and need to start making their own decisions.”

“It’s going to happen. Sooner or later. Even if you stayed in Mobliz in a year or two they would start to leave, Terra. In South Figaro you can keep them home for an extra year or two, but you would not be able to keep them home forever.”

“Are you still mad at me?” he asked.

“No. I flew off the handle and I’m sorry,” said Terra.

“What were you angry about? It confused me.”

“I thought you might be trying to...”

“Terra. I told you I’m not doing that anymore. Certainly not to anyone under your care.”

“I know. I’m sorry.”

Terra fell silent. 

Edgar stood up and headed towards a cabinet. He pulled out a bottle and several glasses.

“Now, how about a drink or two?”

“Is that apple brandy?” asked Sabin.

“No switches this time, Sabin,” chuckled Edgar.

“Switches?” asked Terra.

Edgar laughed. “When we were fifteen, we had come up for the weekend. Sabin and I found our fathers apple brandy and sampled it extensively. We were just teenagers and had no clue that the drunker we got, the louder we got. We had a good time, until we woke up our father. He didn’t say a word to us until the next day. When we woke up, we had the worst hangover of our lives. That was nothing though next to our father’s anger. He then switched us for breaking into his brandy. Still, that was an adventure on it’s own. A sort of rite of passage.”

“Are you trying to get me drunk, Edgar?” asked Terra, suspiciously. 

“No, I’m trying to get you to relax for a little while. You have been so tense you could be sitting on a razor’s edge.”

Edgar poured out the apple brandy. 

“Before we start drinking,” said Sabin, “I wanted to ask you about letting me teach Rose about self defense, Terra. Rosie knows quite a few dirty tricks, but I think it would do her a bunch of good if she learned how to defend herself. This way she can fight out of a corner without hurting herself.”

“It’s not a bad idea,” said Terra.

“It’s a good thing she is another early riser. I’ll start on Tuesday after we get back to the castle. All she needs are some plain clothes that she won’t mind getting dirty.”

Edgar passed out the shots of brandy.

“It’s too bad Celes and Locke can’t be here.” said Terra softly.

“Celes is training some of our current knight trainees. Locke left on a special treasure hunting mission,” said Edgar.

“What kind of treasure hunt?”

“Special. The kind that I can’t talk about.”

“Oh,” after that Terra fell silent.

“Let’s start off with a toast. To those who have passed before us, may their memories always burn brightly in our minds.”

The three raised their glass in salute and drank to their memories. For Terra that was General Leo. He had been a good man who served out of duty to his emperor and was also a father figure for Terra. For Edgar that was his father who had been poisoned by the Empire and made him King. For Sabin it was his mother who had died while giving both Edgar and himself life. 

“Mmmm” said Terra. The brandy was rich and sweet and didn’t burn her throat as she drank it. She disliked most alcohol because of the burn on the way down.

“Smooth, isn’t it?” asked Edgar. “When our father caught us getting drunk, we had no clue on just how much we had drunk because of how smooth this brandy is. That’s the danger of this brandy. You will think you are drinking a nice sweet cider until you try to stand up.”

“Is there a deck of playing cards around here?” asked Terra. 

“Setzer taught you a few too many of his card tricks,” commented Edgar.

“What? Is his Majesty afraid I’ll clean his clock?” asked Terra. Her eyes laughing. 

“No.”

“Then, come on! Let’s play cards for a while.”

The three of them began to play cards and continued to drink. Before long, Sabin stood up. 

“I think I’ve had just a bit too much. I’m going to go sleep it off,” he said. 

“Lightweight,” teased Edgar. Edgar had drunk just enough to feel good. He was enjoying the light conversation and had managed to relax. 

“Yeah, you’re being a party pooper,” giggled Terra. As much as Edgar teased Sabin about being a lightweight, Terra was pretty drunk. 

Terra’s cheeks were rosy from drinking but she was laughing and giggling easily. It was nice to have her lower her usual guard and just be herself with him. Terra looked beautiful with her rosy cheeks and the smile on her lips. 

“Good night, you two,” said Sabin who lurched his way to his bed. 

“Now, what?” asked Terra. “It’s not so fun to play cards with just the two of us.”

“I’m getting a little warm. How about we go take a stroll and cool off a bit.” 

“Why don’t we just go and sit on the porch. It looks like a beautiful night outside.”

Terra attempted to stand and found she was having trouble. She fell on her rump.

“Need help standing? I didn’t think you drank that much,” said Edgar. He helped Terra stand.

They lurched out onto the porch. The orchards were filled with moonlight and fog. As they walked out, Edgar couldn’t help but notice how beautiful Terra looked in the moonlight. As ethereal as the fog itself, she seemed to Edgar. 

“I wonder,” said Edgar in a soft husky voice. “When was the last time anyone told you that you are beautiful?”

Terra blushed as she was being supported by Edgar. 

“Never. Unless I count you teasing me.”

As Terra looked at Edgar, that truly seemed to puzzle him. 

“Never?”

Terra shook her head. “Never. I was always a thing to the Empire, not a person.”

“You’re beautiful, Terra. Don’t ever let anyone tell you otherwise.”

“You’re drunk.”

“Maybe I am,” confessed Edgar. “But I still know a beautiful woman when I see one.”

“I’m not one of your floozies,” said Terra.

“I’ve never been more serious in my life. You’re beautiful. Period. Of all the women I have known in my life, you are the most beautiful of them all.”

Terra’s blush grew deeper. Edgar’s sapphire eyes grew intense. He bent down and kissed Terra softly on her lips. 

A spark of lightning went through both of them. For Edgar it was the realization of something he had been touching the edges of for months. For Terra, it was how vulnerable she felt being kissed by Edgar. 

They pulled away and smiled at each other. 

“That I call a start,” said Edgar. 

“The start of what?” asked Terra.

“A change. Something new.”

“I’d like to start something new.”

“Then we will take it slowly. This is as new to me as it is to you. Let’s not rush into anything.”

Terra smiled, “Thank you.”

Edgar hugged Terra close.

Unknown to either, was that Sabin was watching from a window with a smile on his face. It had been a long time coming for both of them. He jauntily walked to his bedroom and went to sleep. 

After a while Terra started to get cold. Edgar escorted Terra to her room and with another kiss bade her goodnight. Terra lay down on her bed for the moment and smiled dreamily. She had never though something as simple as a kiss would make her feel so good. She undressed and went to bed. She would find out more tomorrow. 

Edgar went to his room and also lay in his bed. As much as he would have loved for Terra to be in his arms, she was not ready yet. He meant it about taking things slowly with her. Edgar was allowing Terra to call the shots this time. He had never done so before. He loved her and out of that love came a respect for her.

Edgar smiled at the thought of being in love for only the second time in his life. He was too young the first time he fallen so. It had been with his older fourth cousin on his father’s side. She had been everything he had thought he could want in a woman. Smart, beautiful, witty, among other things. Unfortunately, the Empire had killed her before he could ever confess his love for her. Until he had met Terra, he had thought she had ruined him for other women. Now he knew he just needed to adjust his focus on what he wanted. 

Edgar got off of the bed and undressed. The only way to find out what tomorrow would bring was to fall asleep and let the next day come.


	23. Better a Barbrain than Boring!

DuBose Castle.

Locke Cole stood in the shadows of the ceiling as he waited for the Baron’s guards to move on. He had arrived the day before to secure certain DuBose heirlooms for Edgar and to see if Baron Demille was making any movements towards claiming the Veldt as his own. He had managed to succeed at both missions. 

When Edgar had been here just a few days prior, Edgar did not like the idea of leaving the Duchy’s heirlooms out for just anybody to grab. With Locke’s help, they had managed to get the really valuable stuff hidden before they had left. Locke knew that with what he had told Edgar of this baron, Edgar worried that this Baron might try to find and claim everything for himself.

Edgar had been correct. They had gotten the documents out of the castle in the nick of time. Locke had returned for the valuables. Now all Locke needed to do was sneak out of the castle to Setzer’s airship which was waiting on the other side of the wrecked Fanatic’s Tower. Edgar was not going to like how quickly the Baron was moving. The Baron was getting ready to request an audience with Edgar. 

All of a sudden a pair of arms grabbed Locke from behind and pulled him into a hidden room.

To Locke’s shock it was Shadow. 

Locke stood speechless as Shadow motioned for Locke’s silence. He had thought Shadow died in Kefka’s tower. Shadow then motioned for Locke to follow him. Locke, still in shock, followed numbly. Hopefully, he would find out why Shadow was here. 

Shadow led him towards an escape route. Locke decided it was best to leave while the going was good.

When they were far enough away, Locke filled Shadow in on the airship. Shadow nodded the sooner they both escaped the sooner they could warn Edgar about Baron DeMille.

Orchard Valley

Rose once again awoke at the crack of dawn. She was happy that her mother had asked Angelo to spend the night with them. Rose got dressed and quietly went downstairs to wait for the house to wake up. No one was awake yet. That was a surprise. She expected at least Sabin to be awake. Rose shrugged and wandered around. She hadn’t really taken a good look around the house the past couple of days. 

Rose was surprised at a portrait that was in the drawing room. The was a red headed lady in full armor. The name on the frame was Princess Carolina Figaro. Rose took a closer look at it. Rose could see why Edgar thought of her as a miniature version of Carolina. They had the same hair, fair skin, and deep blue eyes. The nose was a different though. Rose had a tiny button of a nose and Carolina’s nose was hawkish. Carolina had freckles and Rose did not. Still a pretty close resemblance for Rose to get a good idea of what she would look like as an adult. Rose smiled at the portrait, and curtsied to her grandmother. Rose would have liked to have met her. 

The rest of the house was full of barely used furniture and a few stuffed and mounted animals. It was pretty obvious that barely anyone ever stayed there. That made Rose sad. It was a beautiful orchard. This house should get used more.

“Are we the first awake?” came Angelo’s voice behind her. 

“It looks like it,” replied Rose. 

Angelo yawned and stretched. “I like your brothers. I’ve never had any. All my siblings are girls.”

“We are all push and noise, but we love each other. Sometimes I think we would never have survived being in Mobliz if we didn’t have each other. As much as we sometimes fight, we love each other a lot.” 

“I’m hungry.”

“We need to go to the work camp to eat. Let me go tell Emma, and then let’s go. I have never really liked being cooped up in a house.”

“What were you doing?”

“Looking at a picture of Carolina Figaro. I can see the resemblance, but it’s not quite exact.”

“Not even Edgar and Sabin look exactly alike and they are twins.”

“Wait a sec, let me go talk to Emma.”

Emma had just barely woken up and nodded when Rose told her where she and Angelo were going. At least this time Rose didn’t go wander off without telling someone.

Rose and Angelo tore off into the orchards.

They laughed and joked as they ran. Before long they where in the work camp.

“Sit down, you two,” called out Jackie. 

Rose and Angelo sat down. 

Steaming hot mugs were placed in front of them. 

“Drink up, it’s cold out. I’m surprised that you two are up and about so early,” said Jackie

“We left because everyone else was asleep still,” said Angelo. 

“That’s surprising. Usually Edgar and Sabin are wide awake by now.”

“They were up late last night. I heard them laughing and talking until almost midnight.”

“What were you doing up, Angelo?” asked Rose.

“It’s a bad habit. Sometimes my head gets full of thoughts and they won’t let me sleep.”

“I get that way when I get bad dreams.”

“What kind of dreams?” 

“Bad. Sometimes I dream of when my Papa died. Sometimes I get dreams of my Mama falling off a cliff.” Rose shook her head to keep the bad memories away. 

Angelo remembered her tears the day before during their talk with Edgar. Jackie’s face became a grimace. Clearly, Rose has had a tough life for all that she was four. No wonder Edgar was so damned protective of her. Edgar knew the pain of losing both parents young. Edgar would try to spare her as much as he could.

“There you are, I wondered where you had wandered off to,” came Sabin’s voice. His eyes were a little blood shot.

“I told Emma that I had gone to the work camp,” said Rose. 

“I didn’t check. I thought you would have told your mother.”

“Mama was still asleep. I don’t like bothering her.”

“She is probably sleeping off the apple brandy she drank last night,” murmured Sabin.

Rose shrugged, “I don’t know about that. I only know she was asleep and I told Emma.”

“Jackie, you had better send some of your drinking remedy for two. Both Edgar and Terra had quite a bit to drink. In fact, I could use some myself.”

“Did you boys get into the apple brandy again?”

“You know it’s pretty irresistible.”

Jackie laughed, “Yeah, it is. You just have to watch for the hangover.”

“What do you have to eat?”

“Porridge, for the moment.”

“That’s fine, how about you two? Care to eat some porridge?”

Rose laughed, “That’s what I’m used to eating. Our chickens in Mobliz were too small for eggs.”

Jackie smiled, “Porridge it is. It also hot and filling.”

Rose nodded.

Steaming bowls of porridge were passed out as well as more hot spiced apple juice. 

As they were eating, a chocobo drawn cart pulled up with a boy and a young man. One was Dennis Clarkson and the other Rose didn’t recognize.

Rose nudged Angelo, “Who is the older boy?” she whispered. 

“That’s Dennis’s older brother, David. Couldn’t be more different than Dennis or his mother.” whispered Angelo. “David got conscripted into the Imperial army while he was in Tzen. He had gone for some of his father’s business and wound up in a strange countries army. It knocked all the snobbery out of him.”

Rose listened.

“Dennis, go and sit at the table, while I put us on the work list. Eat something. When breakfast is over, I expect you to do the job you’re given.”

“Why?”

“Because you are in trouble with Dad. He left it up to me to decide your punishment. Since you have to pay back some money, you have to earn it. You are here to earn that money.”

“What if I don’t want to?”

“Well then I guess you get to muck out the goat pens for a month to earn the money to pay for all the candy you stole.”

“What if I refuse to do either?” 

“Then I guess you will have to learn to enjoy that military academy in Jidoor. They won’t put up with your bullshit there. A few bruises will teach you a proper lesson.”

“That stupid candy maker just should have given me that candy!”

“That’s the problem right there. Nobody OWES you anything. Just because our father is an Earl, whose family is one of the founding families, no one OWES you anything. Even Edgar refuses to take things for free. Father is tired of this attitude of yours and Mother’s. He has decided to let me decide your punishment. He will probably banish Mother to her cottage. But this attitude has to stop.” 

Before long Rose’s siblings made their way to the work camp and were getting breakfast. They were all laughing and joking with each other as David Clarkson introduced himself and his brother to the rest of the camp. Dennis was being standoffish as his brother cuffed him on the back of the head to not be rude.

Jackie and Paul were frowning. 

“Okay, Rose and Angelo I have a small task to take some of Jackie’s hangover cure back to the cottage today. When you are finished you can go back to playing the way you were yesterday. Have fun and be back by lunchtime.”

There was a large pot of tea set up on a tray for two people to enjoy. Rose wondered what a hangover was. She shrugged. It was a simple enough task.

Princess Cottage

Edgar struggled to wake up. He wasn’t badly hungover, but he had just enough to be sensitive to light and make his stomach feel sour. He got out of bed and finding the bathroom took a hot bath. The steam would help clear up how foul his head felt. 

Terra was clutching her head. She had no business drinking like that when the children were in the same house as she was. Terra paused. As best as she remembered, it seemed to her that Edgar had kissed her the night before. Terra rubbed her lips in remembrance. It must have been the brandy that made him kiss her. He had seemed so sincere though. He had looked genuinely puzzled at the idea that no one had ever called her beautiful before.

Terra went downstairs and began to rummage through the kitchen. She hoped that there was willow bark tea for the headache.

“Is there no willow bark tea?” asked Edgar very softly.

“None that I can find,” answered Terra.

They heard and winced at a loud bang as a door opened and closed. 

In came Rose and Angelo carrying a tray between them.

“This is our job today,” said Angelo. He was speaking softly but for some reason it echoed in Terra’s head.

“Oww,” was all she said with a wince. 

“Are you okay?” asked Rose. Mama’s eyes were bloodshot as she held her head.

“I’m fine. What is it you have there?”

“Jackie said it was her hangover cure. What’s a hangover?”

“It’s what happens when you overindulge in certain beverages,” answered Edgar. He took the tray from Angelo and Rose and placed it on the kitchen counter. There was a pot of tea in a tea cozy and two large mugs. Edgar knew they were to drink as much of Jackie’s remedy as they could. The pot was quite hot as he removed the tea cozy and poured out two large mugs of the tea. Jackie knew all about apple palsy. As smooth as it was, apple brandy also gave one the worst hangovers. Her remedy was the best there was for such a hangover. 

“Why don’t you two go back out and play for a while?” suggested Terra. “We will be out and about in a few moments.” 

“An hour at the latest,” commented Edgar. He began to press a mug of the steaming tea into Terra’s hands.

Rose and Angelo both shrugged and went outside. It was a pretty morning and they didn’t want to waste it by being inside.

“Drink this stuff, Terra. It’ll help with the hangover.” said Edgar.

Terra took the mug from Edgar’s hand. It smelled faintly medicinal. She took a slow sip. It was soothing going down into her stomach and the heat began to clear out her sinuses. She hummed in relief.

“Jackie knows how to cure apple palsy that’s for sure,” said Edgar as he also drank deeply of the tea that had been sent to them. “Keep drinking and take it easy. Eat the porridge that Jackie also sent up. We will be okay to face the world again in an hour or so.”

They drank deeply of the tea and ate the porridge. After a while they began to feel better. 

“No more drinking like this for me,” said Terra. 

“You needed to relax. We both did. Things have been very tense the past couple of weeks.”

“I seem to remember you kissing me,” said Terra. 

“I did kiss you. I meant to. I will always have a hard time resisting a beautiful woman. You are the most beautiful of all. Before you brush me off again, Terra, I meant every word I said. I want a change between us. I was dead serious when I said that to you. I was also serious about taking things slowly. Whatever it takes for you to feel comfortable.” 

Sober, Terra could tell that Edgar was being serious. The look in his eyes was too intense. Edgar picked up her hand that was on the counter and kissed it. He then bent over and once again kissed Terra’s lips gently. When he backed away, they smiled at each other with a faint blush. 

“Won’t this be problematic for you?” asked Terra.

“How?”

“Well, I thought your marriage would be arranged for you.”

“If that were the case, I would have been married years ago. Yes, the Chancellor and members of the Royal Council have despaired because I haven’t married yet. But they also know it’s better if I choose my bride, rather than have a loveless marriage. That reduces whoever my wife would be from taking lovers with no other interests than using her. It also reduces the same from my end. Royal history is loaded with bad marriages that didn’t end well.”

They fell silent. It wasn't an awkward silence. They were just in their own thoughts.

Rose and Angelo went to the treehouse after dropping off the tea to Terra and Edgar. They began to climb into it when they saw that they weren’t alone. Dennis Clarkson was there too. 

“What are you two doing here?” Dennis demanded as they climbed up. 

“We are here to play,” said Angelo.

“Go away!”

“Aren’t you supposed to be working?” asked Rose.

“Says who?”

“Your brother, as I recall,” replied Angelo.

“He’s not the boss of me,” said Dennis stubbornly.

“Alright, so why are you here?” asked Rose. 

“I don’t answer to filthy bastards of the King either!”

Angelo’s face began to redden in anger. Rose placed calming hand on Angelo. The look on her face caused Angelo to bite off what he was going to say to Dennis.

“Well! The only filthy thing around here seems to be your mouth! If my Mama were here, she would be sure to wash it out with soap!”

Rose then turned to Angelo, “Tell me Angelo, are all highborns that filthy mouthed and with fewer manners than a chicken?”

Angelo realized that Rose was trying to get him to re-direct his own anger. Insults were nothing and Dennis had insulted her first by calling her a bastard. Angelo smiled at Rose seeing her game.

“Actually no. My father is also an Earl in addition to being Chancellor. He would say that the nobility should always strive for the best manners because we are supposed to have been taught to know better.”

“Let’s go then, Angelo. My sister Carrie would not want me to turn into an even bigger barbrain than I already am.”

Angelo smiled at Rose. Dennis was turning beet red at the veiled insults. 

“Barbarian, Rose. You’re a barbarian.”

“Better a barbrain than boring!!” she said cheerfully. “Come on, let’s stick fight again!”

Rose and Angelo climbed down from the treehouse. 

“HEY!” yelled down Dennis. “Just who the hell do you think you are?”

Rose turned around, “I’m Rose. Now, who do you think you are?”

Dennis furiously climbed down the tree. 

“No, I mean who do you think you are? Bastard children don’t belong in Figaro Castle!”

“Why, on God’s green earth, do you think I’m Edgar’s bastard?”

“You look like him!”

“And what does that prove?”

“Nothing,” cut in Angelo. “It proves nothing.”

“Since it’s nothing then I don’t really want to hear about it.”

Rose once again turned her back trying to get away from Dennis. Edgar was trusting her with certain secrets. She would do her damndest to keep his trust.

There was the sound of someone running. Rose found herself being knocked onto the ground.

“Hands off, Clarkson! Pick on someone your own size!” shouted Angelo. 

Rose sat up and looked at Dennis. His eyes were wild as he punched at Angelo. 

Once again, white hot fury filled Rose as she stood up and launched herself at Dennis. Whatever he expected, it wasn’t that. Rose began to scream about bullies and not tolerating that. Dennis was shocked as she knocked him over and began to pummel him the way he had planned to pummel her. Being older, he managed to roll away from Rose’s kicking feet and launched himself back at her. His fist connected with her face as her foot connected to his groin. 

Dennis fell to his knees. 

Arms pulled Rose away from Dennis as she tried to launch herself at him again. These arms were not as strong as Sabin’s but where able to keep her away from Dennis. She struggled against them. They squeezed almost painfully tight. Rose slowly began to stop struggling.

“Yer a strong gel ain’t ye?” said the man holding her. Rose did not recognize him. 

“You’ve got her Lukas?” came the voice of Paul Binion. 

“Aye. Little thing is a hellion thas for sure.” answered the man, Lukas. 

“What the devil happened here?” asked Paul.

Angelo looked up with his cut and fattening lip. “Lemme try and explain...”


	24. Still a Pretty Good Team

Rose and Angelo were on one of the many sofas in princess cottage. They both had washcloths over their associated battle wounds. Edgar was pacing, shaking his head at them. Terra was scolding them. Sabin was trying to hide his smirk behind his pint of cider. 

“But Mama, I swear we didn’t start it! I even tried to get away before the fight started this time!” Rose shouted. 

“She’s right,” said Paul Binion. “I was out looking for Dennis Clarkson. I heard the shouting and yelling. Little Rose was trying to be peaceful until Clarkson knocked her over from behind, then he punched Angelo. That’s when she jumped into the fight. You should be proud Ms Branford. A friend who knowingly jumps into a fight with someone bigger and stronger than them for friendship, is a friend worth having. It’s a code of honor. You’ve raised her well.” 

“I’m sorry, but I don’t think brawling is the sort of thing Rosie should be engaging in regularly,” said Terra.

“I could see the point, if Rose were older. At this age though, it’s pretty common. You can take comfort in that she doesn’t look for the scuffles. The scuffles find Rose and it’s not in her nature to let things slide.”

“We should head back to the castle after today’s work is completed. I had been planning on staying through until tomorrow, but I need to address this behavior with Dennis’s father,” said Edgar. “Attacking from behind? Over a few veiled insults? This attitude from certain members of the Clarkson family needs to stop.”

“His brother said he had gotten into trouble stealing candy, too,” said Sabin.

“Maybe Dennis should cool off in one of the prison cells,” said Edgar. His eyes became thoughtful. “That’s an idea. Let me flesh it out a bit.”

There was a knock on the door.

It was Jackie.

“Did someone order some of my bruise balm?” she queried.

“Over here Jackie,” said Edgar. “There was a scuffle earlier.”

Jackie walked over to where both Rose and Angelo were sitting. 

“Please remove the washcloth,” she said gently to Rose. 

Jackie hissed as she saw the black bruise across Rose’s cheek that discolored and swelled Rose’s left eye shut.

“Paul,” Jackie ordered. “Go to house and grab my medicinal bag. I have other things in there to reduce the swelling,” she explained. “The balm will help out but with a bruise this bad, some other things would be helpful too.”

Rose nodded. The whole left side of her face ached. She was doing her best to put on a brave face.

“Let’s take a look at you, Angelo.”

Angelo’s lip was split and had swollen into a purplish color.

Jackie’s eyes narrowed, “Who did this? This wasn’t some normal scuffle. Whoever did this was trying to beat them down.”

“Dennis Clarkson,” said Paul. “He attacked Rose from behind, then he struck Angelo after he called him out. Rose was punched in the face after she gave him back some of what he dished out.” 

“Go and get my medicine bag, Paul.”

Paul nodded and left to get Jackie's herbs.

“Someone start a kettle of water,” she ordered. Sabin quietly went into the kitchen and did what Jackie had asked. 

Jackie regarded Rose gently, “Does your face ache?”

Rose nodded. Jackie picked up her bruise balm.

“Have your mother dab this onto your eye and cheek four times a day for the next week. The swelling should go down in a few days. The bruising will take longer to fade. After the swelling goes away it will look a lot worse than it will feel like for a good two to three weeks afterwards. Be gentle, and don’t rush the healing process. You are lucky he didn’t cut your face. That would have left a scar.”

Paul returned with Jackie’s medicine bag. She rummaged through it until she found an herb packet she was looking for.

“I need a bowl and a teapot.”

Terra rummaged the cabinets and found both a bowl and a tea service set. Edgar grabbed the tea set as Terra handed the bowl to Jackie. With a nod and a smile she measured out an amount of the herb from her packet, and added a what looked like corn meal to the bowl.

“What’s that?” asked Terra.

“I’m making a poultice for Angelo’s lip with yarrow and some corn meal. One of the herbs in the bruise balm on Rose’s face is not edible, so I need something a little different for that. After I put the poultice on his lip, they are both going to have some yarrow and willowbark tea for the pain. After that they need to rest. Nothing helps the body heal better than rest.” 

A the kettle began to whistle and Jackie made a pot of tea for Rose and Angelo. Angelo struggled to drink the tea with his fat lip. Jackie handed him a glass tube and told him to drink using the tube. Using more hot water she then mixed the poultice. When they finished the tea Jackie placed the thick paste onto Angelo’s lip. After a while they began to get drowsy and they were put to rest as the adults began to make plans to pack up and go back to the castle that evening. 

Rose and Angelo were confined to the cottage after they woke up. Terra and Edgar took turns watching over them as everyone else completed their work and began to pack up. As they had gotten ready to get on the wagon, Paul returned with pay pouches for all that had worked over the past two days. Edgar had to cover his smile at the delight of the children who were pleased at now having some spending money for the next time they were in South Figaro. There was one more boisterous meal and then they left heading back to Figaro Castle. Rose was a little bitter that she didn’t get another chance to play in the orchards after her fight with Dennis. So was Angelo. They complained quietly as they settled back for the ride back. 

Edgar shook his head at the two of them.

“What would have happened if you got hurt again, Rose? That black eye is bad. You can’t even see out of it right now. Playtime is all well and good, but not at the chance of getting injured. There will be other times to frolic and play. Right now, you need to heal.”

“I guess I’m more angry that playtime was stolen from me. I tried my best not to fight, but I wound up fighting anyways.”

Edgar laughed. “That, sweet child, is the first rule of being King. You can try your best not to fight, to be peaceful, but as a Sovereign you and your citizens sometimes get sucked into the fight. It can make one feel like a failure. It does make one angry, but I can only take consolation in that I tried my best. When the war is over, we lick our wounds and heal as best as we can.”

“He probably won’t even be punished,” said Rose glumly.

“As much as deserves the same belt that Owen got, there isn’t much I can do about someone in another household.”

Rose went silent. Talking was making her face begin to ache again. She rubbed her temple and jaw and went silent. Edgar saw the gestures. 

“Face starting to ache again?” he asked.

Rose smiled and nodded.

“I’ll have Kayla check on it when we get back to the castle. She should also check for broken bones.”

Rose shrugged and she and Angelo leaned on each other relaxed. The light softened into dusk and before long Rose could see the stars outside. The air began to get colder and drier as the wagon entered the desert. The wagon suddenly stopped. Edgar bit off a curse. 

“Sand rays,” he said softly. 

“I think there are some Alacrans out there as well,” commented Sabin. 

“It was only a matter of time before we encountered them, I suppose.”

“I can handle them, Edgar.”

Edgar got off the wagon and went to a box that was just behind the drivers seat. 

“So can I,” he replied with a smile. He opened the box and pulled out two swords. 

Edgar went to Terra, “There are some Sand Rays out there as well as some scorpions, Sabin and I will go and take care of those. I’m not sure if there any close to the wagon though. Think you can guard the wagon?”

Terra smiled at Edgar, “I just hope that being King hasn’t gotten you out of shape.”

Edgar smiled at Terra and handed her the second sword. “Keep your eyes peeled. Sand Rays like to crawl out of the sand and feed at this hour. The number of them that I have seen makes me think we are right by a nest of them.” 

Edgar and Sabin began to head out into the desert. 

Terra was telling the children to stay calm and most importantly stay inside the wagon. The children huddled against each other a little afraid. A few minutes later there was a flash of fire from the distance. To Rose it looked like a great bird made out of fire. There was a breeze coming off of the sands that made Rose cold. A few more minutes pass.

Rose heard something she had never heard before. It sounded like something was crawling out of the desert sands. A huge beast that resembles a seahorse then appeared close to the wagon spewing sand everywhere.

Out of the dark, an eerie blue light filled the air as Terra unsheathed the sword Edgar handed her. It was the Ultima Blade. Terra smiled. Trust Edgar to hang onto all of their old weapons.

The beast lunged at Terra, who managed to dodge the attack. It shrieked then attacked with it’s barbed tail. Terra dodged, then attacked with the sword cleaving the tail off. Out of nowhere Edgar joined in the battle and attacked the beast opposite of Terra, cutting off a wing like appendage. Sabin was murmuring a chant when suddenly the wind itself became a blade and sliced the creature in two.

The dead carcass collapsed onto the desert sands.

Terra, Edgar, and Sabin looked at each other and laughed.

“We still make a pretty good team,” commented Edgar. 

“That felt like old times,” admitted Terra.

“Here I was hoping that these things would just vanish,” added Sabin.

“So did I,” admitted Edgar. “I’m surprised though. I thought that Sandhorses had all died. There were numerous reports about their dead carcasses littering the desert. Maybe a couple managed to adapt without magic.”

“How did you get here so quickly?” asked Terra.

“We were almost back from destroying that Sand Ray nest when we heard the Sandhorse come out of the sand. When we saw the light of Ultima, we ran the rest of the way back,” answered Sabin.

“Let’s hurry back. I don’t want to be around if something decides to scavenge those creatures.”


	25. A Former Floozy

Edgar flitted the reigns of the chocobos. With a squawk they began to trot towards the center of the desert. Edgar and Terra kept their respective weapons close to them, just in case.

The Chancellor was waiting for them when they arrived. “What happened?” he asked as the wagon approached.

“There was a fight. Both Rose and Angelo were hurt by young master Dennis Clarkson.”

“Do you know why?”

“He didn’t like being called foul mouthed and rude as best as I can tell. Can you do me a favor and send Kayla to Terra’s tower? I want her to take a closer look at Rose’s black eye.”

“Of course, your Majesty. Before you go though, I want to warn you that Willow arrived at Court yesterday.”

Edgar’s eyes flashed both anger and resignation. Edgar sighed. “I wish she would get it through her thick skull that I don’t want to see her anymore.”

“You know she won’t accept that. Not easily. You might have to take some stronger steps to keep her away.”

Edgar scowled. The Chancellor left. Terra’s eyes were bemused.

“Let’s get everyone settled back in,” said Edgar shortly.

An hour later, Kayla pronounced that Rose had no broken bones and the bruising would clear up in a couple of weeks. She smiled at Jackie’s bruise balm and made more willowbark tea for Rose’s pain. After that, Edgar and Terra were alone.

“So who is this Willow? One of your floozies?” asked Terra.

“A former floozy. I’ve been trying to break up with her for more than two years now. She won’t take no for an answer,” answered Edgar.

“What will she say if she found out you were involved with someone else?”

“The screams and the drama. The drama was what first attracted me to her but it is the same drama that disgusted me after a while. She thinks of herself as the most beautiful woman in the Kingdom and lords it over all the other women. After a while I got tired of her drama and shallowness and ended it with her. Not that I was ever serious about her to begin with.” 

“It seems that you are never serious when it comes to women,” commented Terra.

“I have only been serious with two women in my whole life. The first was as a sixteen year old. There was a distant cousin from my father. She was smart, witty, beautiful, and everything I thought I wanted in a woman. She was also much older than me and wound up married to someone else. She died before I could ever confess my love for her. I am looking at the second woman I have ever been serious with. She appears vulnerable but is strong in the face of great adversity. She is the kindest woman I have ever met. She can heal wounds with a gentle kiss and then destroys with the toss of her beautiful head. I have never met another woman like you, Terra. I don’t want to either. I have seen you grow from a frightened maiden into a strong woman. I find that much more appealing than some gold digging drama queen.”

Terra blushed. “Thank you.”

“I must seek my own bed. Willow won’t make things easy for me. Goodnight, Terra.” Edgar gently kissed Terra. Terra blushed deeper and smiled at Edgar. 

Edgar had a smile of his own as he left her.

The good feelings lasted until he was close to the Royal Apartment. Locke Cole was waiting for him there. Edgar gestured for silence as he lead them to a small private study.

“How did things go?” asked Edgar. 

“You got lucky. Baron DeMille got to DuBose Castle a few days ago. He was beating his men for not being able to find any of their archives or jewels. We got Terra out of there in the nick of time. His men have been scouring Mobliz for any sign of her and her brood. I’d hate to think what might have happened if she were still there.”

“He is moving quicker than I thought.” 

“Yeah, well you knew that was a possibility, didn’t you? Isn’t that why you had me gather all the jewels and hide them until I could come back for them?”

“I was more concerned about casual looters than DeMille at the time. Still, at least we’ve kept those out of his hands too,” answered Edgar.

“We never did find the Duke’s signet.”

“I did. It was enclosed with the letter he had written to me. I’ve had it placed with the Crown Jewels. It looks like we will need to place the things you have recovered with the Crown Jewels as well.”

Locke nodded. Spying and theft were all a part of his job description. This had been a pretty important Treasure Hunt for Edgar.

“One question,” Locke asked softly.

Edgar nodded at Locke. Locke didn’t really need to ask. Locke was one of the few people in his Court he considered incorruptible. Too much shared history. It was the same for Terra, Celes, and the Chancellor. Sabin was the same as well. One of the very few good things that Kefka brought with him were people that he could trust absolutely. Until Locke walked into his life, the only other person he thought of as such had been the Chancellor. He had set Sabin free. 

“Why didn’t you tell me about Shadow?”

“Because I was hoping I would never need to call upon his services. You’re the best at spying, Locke. But what happens if things go south and I need DeMille assassinated? Shadow is much better for that and understands the reasons why.”

“Well, he is floating around the castle. He said to tell you that he is checking on the castle’s security. Especially around Terra and her kids.”

“He knows what he is doing. He will probably report on his own later. Anyways, Where did you put the loot?”

“I have it locked up right and tight in my room.”

“Bring it to the Royal Vault tomorrow at nine in the morning.”

“Good, that gives me another go at breaking into it again.”

Edgar chuckled. Locke periodically attempting to break into the Royal Vault was one way Edgar made sure it was secure. If Locke couldn’t break into it, then no one could. Edgar had made many adjustments to the Vault’s security systems based on how far Locke could get into it. He had failed utterly on his past two attempts.

“I’ll let the Guards know. On that note, I’ll bid you goodnight.”

Edgar went to his virtuously empty bedroom, secretly wishing that Terra would join him. He sighed. It was like taming a wild bird, you couldn’t move too fast or he would frighten her away. 

When he entered his bedroom he realized he wasn’t alone. 

There was an all too familiar woman in his bed.

“Edgar.” purred the woman. 

“Lady Willow Buscadore, what are you doing here?” asked Edgar. 

“I’ve been lonely without you.” 

“So this is your way of trying to see me?”

“You keep refusing all the usual channels.”

“It’s over between us. It has been for a long time.”

Willow sat up displaying her ample breasts. There was no doubt that she was a beautiful woman. Willow was tall, blonde, smiled prettily, but was cold. 

Some people thought of Celes Chere as a cold woman. Having gotten to know Celes well over the past almost two years, Edgar knew that iciness was a form of armor she used to protected herself from Kefka and the whims of Emperor Gestahl.

Willow Buscadore was different. She was cruel and unsubtle. Willow thrived on the drama of the Court. Willow’s coldness came from pure arrogance. Willow wanted to be Queen of Figaro and would stop at nothing to achieve that goal.

Willow took Edgar’s silence as consent. She got off the bed and began to kiss him.

Edgar backed away.

“No,” Edgar said. “Your charms no longer work on me. Leave. Now. If you go quietly , you may stay and observe the Court. If you don’t, I’ll be forced to take harsher measures to keep you away.”

“Who else is fit to rule by your side? That green haired freak?”

Edgar’s voice became hard. “Do not drag Ms Branford into this. I ended our relationship before I had even met her. Last warning to leave. Do not force me to humiliate you. I have just enough respect for you to not want to do that.”

Willow stood up haughtily. She had been naked underneath Edgar’s sheets and now Edgar could see her full nudity in the dim light. He turned his back on her to allow her some privacy as she dressed. 

“You’ll pay for this Edgar Figaro!” Willow screamed.

“You’ll try.” Edgar’s voice became as strong as steel. “Never forget who is the King though. I have tried to be patient while you look for your next victim. Test it too much, and you will find out just what kind of a King I really am. Any attempts to embarrass either me or my friends will force me to banish you from the Court.” 

There was a scream and as soon as Edgar turned to face the scream he saw that Shadow had Willow in his arms with a knife to her throat. Willow was pointing a pistol at Edgar. It was a new weapon to Edgar’s court. They had been imported from Tzen just before it had fallen to the Empire. Edgar didn’t use them in his army. They were still inaccurate at a distance that could be useful to his troops. He also thought it a barbaric weapon. 

Still, at the distance Willow was at, it could have quite easily killed him.

Willow was trying to struggle in Shadow’s arms. She went silent as Shadow let her feel the sharpness of the blade at her throat. She began to bleed. She went stock still.

“GUARDS!!!” Edgar shouted. 

The bedroom became crowded with Royal Guards and troops. 

“Take this woman to the prisons!” ordered Edgar. 

The Guardsmen took the pistol away from Willow. As they bound her hands, she began to scream about revenge. As Edgar and Shadow were suddenly alone. Edgar began to feel sick at his adrenaline and his emotions. He had cheated death one more time. This time inside of his own home. Edgar went to the bathroom and threw up in the toilet. As much as he was considered a warrior-King, this was much too personal. He could only be grateful that Shadow was here, probably checking the castles security when he spotted Willow. He went back to the main room of his apartment. Shadow was still waiting for him. 

“Did you know she had been an Imperial spy?” asked Shadow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The pistol is a flint locked, ball and powder pistol. Highly inaccurate, but could be lethal at point blank range. Rifling hasn't been invented yet.  
Feel free to comment, ask questions, tell me what you think, etc. Happy Holidays and I'll make my next posting next week.


	26. Ruined

Edgar’s eyes went wide and then narrowed at Shadow’s question.

“No. I didn’t. Now that I think about it, it makes sense. Willow must have told Kefka of Terra’s arrival when she first came here. She was always trying to get me to tell her what things I had discussed with Locke. I ended it with Willow when she kept trying to push me for State Secrets I trusted no one but the Chancellor and Locke with.”

“She took a new contract with Markus DeMille. When I heard you had returned a day early from the orchards I decided to double check the security of your rooms, just in case. When I spotted her in your bed, I stuck around for securities sake.”

“I’ll make sure that the Chancellor doubles your pay first thing in the morning,” said Edgar. “You have earned every bit of it.”

“Let’s get you into the most secure place in the Castle,” said Shadow.

“The Royal Vault?”

“No. Terra’s tower. Nothing will get by myself or Mog. Stay there for a few days while we double check the security of the rest of the castle.”

Edgar nodded numbly. He was tired. He had not expected an assassination attempt in his own household.

Locke and Cyan joined Edgar and Shadow as they walked to Terra’s Tower. 

“What happened?” asked Terra as she sat in the sitting room of the tower. 

Terra smiled but had been unsurprised at learning that Shadow was still alive. Terra explained that Shadow would leave small gifts for the children when he would come and check on them every few weeks. He never knocked on her door or requested to see her personally, but he still left things for them. 

Edgar was a little jealous. Shadow had a great deal of respect for Terra and it showed. Terra had a quiet way about her that made people trust her. It was one of the many things Edgar loved about her.

“Can we put Edgar in here with your family for a few days?” asked Shadow. “I have checked on the security of this tower and know that both you and the children are safe here. I want to go over the Royal apartments just to ensure his safety there.”

“This tower is huge. There are so many rooms that we don’t use them all. He can stay in one of the empties while you do what you need to. Besides it’ll make Rosie happy to see Edgar every day.”

“Thank you,” said Shadow.

After an emergency meeting with the Chancellor and Celes in tow, Edgar was finally allowed to go to sleep. Celes accepted with a nod the reasons why she was needed to alternate staying in Terra’s tower to oversee Edgar’s security with Cyan. Edgar then asked her to interrogate Willow Buscadore the next afternoon. Willow would try to use feminine wiles to wiggle out of trouble.

Having Celes interrogate her would serve two purposes. First, that Willow’s charms would have no affect on Celes. Two, as a former Imperial General, Celes would be able to get the information on who Willow passed information to. Edgar wanted to know if she had worked for the Empire itself or if she was independent. Shadow was overseeing the ransacking of her room. 

Edgar couldn’t sleep. He and Celes sat amicably in the main room downstairs while Edgar mulled over what was to happen to Willow. Espionage was ordinarily an automatic death penalty. Edgar hated those, even though he knew why it was automatic. You could never trust that spies would not return with a new guise and story. Edgar wondered how much information Willow had managed to wheedle out of him before he left to join the Returners. 

Edgar sighed. The thought of a death penalty was revolting, but it still must be carried out, after Willow told them all she knew. He knew that an attempted assassination had doubly signed the death warrant. He would send Terra and the rest of her family away when it came time to execute her. Dealing with the stain on his soul was a part of being a King. He just wanted to keep Terra and Rose out of that aspect of rule as best he could. 

There were some books in a bookcase. Edgar looked at the titles and selected one to read. It would at least help him pass the time. Exhaustion sank in and before he knew it he fell asleep on the couch. 

Celes found a blanket and covered Edgar with a smile. It had been one hell of a night.

Rose once again woke up at dawn. The tower was silent as everyone else was still asleep. She got dressed and began to go downstairs when she heard a deep snore. 

Rose was surprised when she saw Edgar passed out on the couch. She wondered what he was doing there. She saw Aunt Celes who looked up sharply hearing her climb down the stairs and motioned for Rose to be silent. Celes had deep circles under her eyes which told Rose she had not slept at all.

Rose quietly sat in a chair waiting for the rest of her family to wake up. Her face was once again aching due to her black eye. After a while there was a none too quiet knock on the front door. Aunt Celes pulled out a sword. Rose blanched a little. Something serious must have happened for Celes to pull out a sword in broad daylight, in Edgar’s castle. Celes gestured for Rose to stay where she was as she got up to answer the door. There was a brief murmur and Kayla walked into the tower along with a man dressed completely in black with a bandana covering most of his face. Kayla was carrying a tray.

As Celes closed the door, she gave the man in black a brief but friendly hug.

“I understand that you are the one who saved the day yesterday,” Celes said softly to the man. 

“Both myself and Edgar were lucky. I had spotted that woman going into his bedroom. When I saw it was a spy, I decided to hang around to be certain that Edgar was safe. After last night’s incident, myself and Locke spent the rest of the night ransacking her room,” said the strange man. 

“Did you find anything helpful,” came Edgar’s voice. His eyes were bloodshot but alert. To Rose he looked as if he had been waiting for this sort of news, if she hadn’t known he had been asleep.

“Quite a bit. But I don’t think this is the best time or place to talk about it,” the man in black gestured to Rose in her chair.

“If you like, I can take her to the temple ceremonies, Edgar. This way she won’t get underfoot while things are taken care of,” said Kayla.

Edgar made a face. He was never a big fan of religious ceremonies, but it wouldn’t hurt Rose to occasionally attend, either. 

“Let’s wait for Terra to wake up. I have no objections, but it’s Terra’s decision to make.”

“I’m up,” came Terra’s groggy voice. “I heard the knock on the door.”

Kayla briefly extended her offer for Rose to go to temple ceremonies while Edgar and the rest took care of business. 

“Yes,” said Terra. “I think that will do nicely. The other children are all going to school in South Figaro. I was hoping for a quiet day today with the two of us going to go inspect that house in South Figaro, but- well you know what they say about the best laid plans of mice and men.”

Kayla nodded at Terra with a smile. “As astray as they may have gone, we can patch things up as best we can.”

“I’ll be going along as well, Kupo.” cut in a voice. It was Mog. Edgar was unsurprised to see him. Mog was probably reminding all of them that he was here. Edgar then remembered what Shadow said about not making himself seen. He was making himself seen then he was worried about something.

Rose was sitting in the castle kitchens. Kayla ordered a pot of boiling water as she prepared medications for Rose’s swollen eye. The swelling had gone down just enough for Rose to be able to see a little.

“First we’ll start with a tincture,” said Kayla. “The tincture will absorb in the skin and help out the bruising. As fair skinned as you are it will still take a while for the bruise to go away. Then you will drink some tea. The tea is for the pain and swelling. Finally a slower absorption balm for both the bruise and swelling. I think I can even make a cosmetic to camouflage the bruising. It will help make the bruise less unsightly while it heals.”

“I was hoping for an eye patch so I could pretend to be a pirate,” said Rose. 

Kayla laughed, “You just want to show off,” she accused, in good humor. A cook handed Kayla the boiling water. After she poured out a small amount in her herbs she picked up a piece of cheesecloth and dipped it into the herbs. Kayla then dabbed it gently on Rose’s swollen and bruised eye. It was still hot but the heat was soothing as the tincture cooled and dried on her skin. Also as it dried Kayla measured out herbs into a cup and poured the hot water to make a tea.

“Drink up,” she said to Rose with a smile. Rose was a sweet child. It was no wonder why Edgar was so fond of her. They laughed and joked with each other as Kayla doctored her black eye and eventually Angelo’s fat lip as the Chancellor brought his son to the kitchens as well.

“Welladay! It’s almost time for Temple services to start. Pay attention and try to learn something as myself and the High Priest from the Brotherhood of the Sun preach. As much as Edgar hates sermons, there is always something to learn from one.”

Rose smiled, “I will.”

Edgar and Locke were in the Royal Vault discussing the jewelry that had been recovered from DuBose Castle. 

“Well, we have recovered the Ducal coronet as well as the Ducal Rod,” commented Edgar. “Those are the most important as they represent the authority of the Duke or Duchess.”

“Some of this stuff looks really old,” commented Locke. “So old that they are tarnished or even broken.”

“Yes,” answered Edgar. “Carolina and Kenneth didn’t really care much for jewelry. So that is why they are probably in such a state of disrepair. Still, the base metals and gems are still quite valuable. They can be reforged into new pieces that can be used by Rose and her Court, eventually. In fact, there are even a few pieces we can have reforged for use by her in the near future. See that broken emerald tiara? Those emeralds would probably look beautiful on her. Let’s talk to the Royal Jeweler about reforging it into something that will grow with Rose.”

“Terra would kill you if she thought you were buying Rose jewelry of this type,” commented Locke.

“But they belong to Rose,” said Edgar. “With all that is happening with Baron DeMille it will not be long before she is outed as the Duchess of the Veldt. When that happens, Rose must look the part. Rose and I both know it’s ludicrous, but appearances can be everything. The direct descendant of Carolina Figaro and Kenneth DuBose appearing in her proper role is a powerful tool. It forces DeMille to recognize that the Duchy never belonged to him and that Figaro will back her claim to the Duchy with force if need be.”

“What have you got planned?” asked Locke. 

“I’m not sure yet,” confessed Edgar. “Let me send for the jeweler, and we will talk about these gems from the Veldt.”

The jeweler arrived into the Vault and looked over the gems that had been recovered from DuBose Castle. Edgar explained what he wanted.

“Well,” said the jeweler. “Let me take the jewelry and get them cleaned and polished. I like the idea of reforging that tiara. Give me two days and I can have some ideas drafted for you, your Majesty. That way I can inspect the gems once they are clean and have some ideas on how to display them best. The metals can all be smelted down and new hardware made once we have done so. Once we have done this, is it your Majesty’s wish they be kept with the other artifacts from Castle DuBose?”

“Yes,” answered Edgar. 

The jeweler nodded. “Very well. I will send a message once everything is ready.”

“Thank you,” said Edgar.

The woman who called herself Willow Buscadore sat in her jail cell in the basement. She was contemplating how to sweet talk Edgar into letting her go. Edgar was a fool. It should not take much to convince him that she had been caught up on the heat of the moment instead of a calculated assassination attempt. Edgar believed pretty girls far too easily. He never knew that she was originally an Imperial spy sent in by Kefka to ensure he did not double cross the Empire. 

After two years she had been offered a new mission by Baron Markus DeMille to discover if Edgar was taking any steps to annex the Veldt into Figaro. She had been unsuccessful on all parts of her mission. She did not know what Edgar was doing with the Veldt. Edgar was no longer interested in pursuing his usual lecherous ways. To her, that spoke of a potential marriage for Edgar. A love match at that. Womanizers like Edgar only give up the game when they find love. Whatever that was. If Edgar had been in an arranged marriage he would still have found time to have all sorts of mistresses.

Still she had to try. It might be the only way to keep her head off the headsman block. 

Celes checked herself in the mirror as she prepared to question Willow Buscadore. It was paramount that she maintained control of Willow’s questioning. Celes could not let Willow talk her way out of trouble. Sabin was accompanying her for this questioning. 

Celes walked into Edgar prison cells. Seeing who the spy was, she smiled. She knew the spy. It would give her a great deal of pleasure to take out Margreet’s entire network.

“Well, well. Fancy seeing the Emperor’s favorite whore in Figaro’s prison.”

The woman who called herself Willow Buscadore froze and blanched at the sound of Celes Chere’s voice. She never thought that Edgar would not question her personally. Seeing that Celes now worked for Edgar she had to take special precautions.

“You know her?” asked Sabin.

“I do. Her name is Margreet Zell. A former mistress of Emperor Gestahl and spy. Now she can add attempted assassin to her name as well.”

Sabin nodded at Celes. Celes knew the most about former Imperials. She used that knowledge to aid Edgar to the best of her abilities.

Celes entered Margreet’s cell. She sat calmly opposite her and crossed her arms. Celes said nothing as she watched Margreet get more and more nervous.  
Sabin stayed just outside the cell. If Margreet attempted to do anything to Celes, the guards in the prison would swiftly kill her. 

“Where is he?” asked Celes softly. 

Margreet flinched. She began to pace like a cornered mouse. 

Celes said nothing more and allowed Margreet to get more and more nervous. Her eyes were unflinching and remained on Margreet the entire time. Margreet was wearing a basic prison uniform. She had been strip searched before she was placed in the cell, so Celes knew she was unarmed. 

Margreet realized that she had no hope. If Celes was being sent in here, that meant Edgar knew she was a spy and had placed her questioning into someone’s hands who would not hesitate to kill her if need be. It was far better to cooperate and pray that Edgar was feeling magnanimous.

“Cook’s third assistant,” was all Margreet said. 

“Anyone else?”

“Not anymore. Not since Kefka. Most of my agents died.”

“Why?”

“Originally, I was to keep tabs on Edgar and see if he was cooperating with the Returners. My current mission was to find out if Edgar was getting ready to annex the Veldt. Markus DeMille is the proper claimant.”

“Markus DeMille has been ordered executed by Duke Matthew,” came Edgar’s voice out of nowhere. “Matthew has also ordered that no outlier claimants are to be accepted. Only direct descendants from Kenneth and Carolina DuBose can claim the title. Your mission has become quite dead.”

Margreet’s face became crafty. “Edgar, please...”

“No. Do not attempt to use your wiles on me. I have signed the Execution Order. You are to be executed at sundown tonight for espionage and attempted regicide,” Edgar’s voice was hard and emotionless. “You are to be further guarded until you meet your fate at the hand of the Headsman.”

Margreet became desperate, “Edgar, please...”

Edgar looked one last time at his former lover, “Goodbye.”

Edgar turned on his heel and resolutely left the prisons. He saved his tears until he was in the safety Terra’s Tower. Afterward, he cried like a broken-hearted child at the necessity for Willow’s execution.

There was a gentle touch.

“Are you alright?” asked Terra.

“It hurts, that’s all. I never wanted her dead.”

“I know. I’m sorry that’s what has to happen.”

Terra pulled Edgar down on the couch and gave him tight hug. In spite of being a warrior King, Edgar was the gentlest person Terra had ever met. When Celes told her of Edgar’s decision about Sam Davidson, she was unsurprised. Edgar would always look for a way that didn’t spill blood. 

Edgar continued to cry. Terra held him closely. Even if Edgar’s relationship had never been serious with that Willow woman, he still would never have wanted her dead. Terra’s eyes filled with tears for Edgar. Terra then realized what Setzer meant about how a good woman would make being King easier for Edgar. This was one of those ways. Edgar needed someone he could absolutely trust to unburden on. Terra hung on, letting Edgar unburden himself onto her.

Edgar eventually stopped crying. After a few minutes he realized that his head was in Terra’s lap and she was stoking him comfortingly. In some ways the way a mother would comfort an upset child, but in others as a wife would comfort a husband. No one had ever offered him such comfort before. Edgar sat in awe of the woman who was doing her best to give him comfort. Edgar knew in that moment that if didn’t marry Terra, he would never marry. Terra had just ruined him for all women, with her quiet strength. No one would ever touch his soul as closely as Terra did. They have been through the worst of times together, Edgar wanted the best of times with her. He had a feeling things would be alright so long as they had each other. 

“Terra?” Edgar’s voice was croaky. 

“Hmm?”

“Thank you.”

Terra chuckled, “How many times have you been there to comfort me? I’ve lost count. As much as you have offered and given comfort, the least I can do is offer the same.”

“It’s different this time. It’s more than two friends sharing comfort.”

“I know,” Terra whispered softly. Edgar sat up and pulled Terra into his arms. He kissed her deeply. It was with great reluctance he broke apart from her. They smiled at each other. They said no more as they enjoyed each others company and found strength against despair together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Margreet Zell is a play on Margarentha Zelle a.k.a as Mata Hari. She was a confirmed stripper and courtesan in WWII, but it had never truly been confirmed that Mata Hari was a spy. Still, she is probably the most famous WWII spies to have been executed.


	27. Holly Harcourt

After church services for the Autumnal Equinox, Kayla was leading Rose back to the tower which she was living. Not thinking anyone was in the tower, Kayla opened the door without knocking and walked in. She heard the murmuring voices of Edgar and Terra. They were talking about going to South Figaro when Rose came back and maybe spending overnight there. Edgar did not want to be in the castle when the execution took place. 

Kayla smiled to herself. She would give them a little time and space, but she was pretty sure that it would not be long before there was a royal wedding. Edgar was not the same flirtatious philanderer he had been before he left to fight the Empire. In many ways he was confident with himself and found real friendships that secured him emotionally. Edgar’s taking in of a young frightened Terra had been the best thing to ever happen to him. Edgar and Sabin found they were as close as ever. Locke and Celes had given him security. Terra, well it was different with Terra. 

“Edgar!” called out Rose. She ran from the entranceway to were Terra and Edgar were sitting. They looked up and smiled at Rose. 

“Services over already, Rosie?” asked Terra.

“I was just bringing her back,” said Kayla.

“Good. Listen Rose, we were just talking about heading over to South Figaro. Maybe spend the night there tonight. I don’t really feel like being in the castle,” said Edgar.

“Go get some clean clothes for tomorrow, Rosie” said Terra. “Besides we need to figure out what we have and what sort of furniture we are going to need for our big move.”

There was something about the expression on Edgar’s face that told Rose that he didn’t like the idea of them moving to South Figaro. Rose wondered why. That had always been the plan as far as she knew. 

“Well, I will be heading out,” said Kayla.

“Thank you,” said Rose.

“I’ll see you tomorrow, Rose,” said Kayla. 

Kayla left them and Rose went to go get a skirt and blouse for the next day.

An hour later, Edgar, Terra, and Rose were in the carriage again as they drove towards South Figaro. Rose noted the erection of a raised platform on the center of the courtyard.

“What are they doing, Uncle Edgar?” she asked. 

Edgar sighed, “They are setting up the gallows. There will be an execution at dusk tonight.”

Rose’s eyes went wide. “Why?” she asked in a small voice.

“Because no matter how much I hate it, there are some crimes that are an automatic death penalty. Would be assassins are swiftly executed for the safety of the King.”

“Someone tried to kill you? Is that why you were sleeping on our couch this morning?”

“Yes,” Edgar said shortly. “There may be several more dead people before the night is over. It is safer for us all not to be in the castle tonight.”

“Rose, that’s enough.” Terra said sharply. Rose would have argued, until she saw Edgar’s face. None of this was easy for him. Rose was making it hard by her questions.

Rose fell silent. All she could do was wonder why anyone would want Edgar dead. Then she remembered about what Edgar had told her about being a close relative of his. Maybe trying to kill Edgar would make things easier for someone trying to kill her. 

“Is there ever a time I won’t have to fear for my own life?” Rose asked softly. 

“There is always someone who wants more than they are entitled to, Rose,” answered Edgar. “The first rule of Sovereignty is to stay alive. We may wear a Royal Crown or Ducal Coronet on our heads, but someone will always want it for themselves. All we can do is stay alert, have friends we can trust, and be prepared for an assassin’s knife. Being alert may well be the only thing that can save you.”

Rose was silent the rest of the trip into South Figaro as she mulled over what Edgar said to her.

They were met at the outskirts of South Figaro by Sabin, who had gone to the city that morning to escort the rest of Terra’s children. 

“You’ve made good time,” said Sabin. “The Doman residents are having a traditional fall festival today. I’ve never seen anything like it before”

“Which festival?” asked Edgar. “They seem to petition for several every few weeks.”

“Kurama, I believe. Their spokesman said they are combining a couple of their traditional festivals to help the people of South Figaro understand their traditional culture. They are starting with a parade he said is called Jidai Matsuri and will celebrate into the night with a traditional Kurama Fire festival. I saw Cyan out and about celebrating with several other folks from Doma. They will hold a remembrance for the dead just before they light the fires of Kurama.”

“A fall festival to behold. I will ask Cyan if there are any other festivals he might want to combine with the Harvest Festival. That way we can get to know each other’s cultures better.”

They got out of the carriage close to the towns center and joined the townsfolk as they lined the streets for a parade.

Cyan Garamonde spotted his King and Liege-Lord and brought Edgar, Terra, and Rose onto a platform meant for honored guests. The Domans wanted their new King to know how much they appreciated everything Edgar had done for them.

They were seated at a long table that was very short. Cyan instructed both Terra and Rose on traditional Doman etiquette as several women in brightly colored kimonos came out to serve them tea and sake. The women themselves were heavily made up in a rice powder makeup with bright red lips painted on. They talked and told sophisticated jokes to Edgar and Sabin as they explained the parade when it began.

As Rose watched she saw several other women begin to walk in the parade in various costumes. One was dressed in an elaborate kimono and danced on a platform that was being carried by several men. Rose was astonished by a pair of women in what appeared to be armor carrying a long pole arm with a sharp blade at the end.

“Cyan, what is that?” she asked the Doman knight. 

Seeing Rose point to the women with the pole arms, Cyan smiled and answered Rose. 

“Edgar would call the weapon a glaive. In Doman it’s called a naginata. It’s not unlike many of the staves and spears that Edgar can wield. In Doman culture, girls and women as young as you are, Rose, are taught how to use them to defend their homes from bandits. They wake up at first light and gather in the towns center and practice the usage of them daily, barring holidays. The women you are seeing are demonstrating the usage to try and stir up interest in other girls on how to use such a weapon. You might also see some some ladies demonstrate fan weapons.”

“Fan weapon?” asked Terra.

Cyan smiled at Terra and pulled out what appeared to be a decorative ladies fan from his sash.

“Sometimes it is necessary to have a weapon on you, but you cannot openly carry such a weapon. A ladies fan serves such a purpose,” explained Cyan.

He opened the fan delicately and turned it upside down. The boning was metal and looked sharp.

“See the boning along the fan? The boning is sharpened to act like a knife, if necessary. The tips are also sharpened to cleave if one must fight oneself to safety.”

“Did that happen very often?” asked Rose.

“In times past, yes. Especially among the nobility and warrior classes. Not commonly in the past hundred years. Even then, it was mostly because of bandits. Now we keep up the tradition, because they are traditional arts. We love to hang onto our traditions.” 

“I’d like to see the ladies demonstrate the glaive,” said Edgar. “You know, Rose, it might even be a useful thing for you to learn how to use. That way you always have a means to defend yourself.”

After a while the women began to demonstrate their weapons. Edgar was impressed by their skills with the glaive. He handed a note to Cyan with a smile. 

“Edgar we need to go to the house soon, so I can see what is stored in there. We won’t have a thing for tonight if we don’t go soon,” said Terra. 

“You’re right. Still, it’s good to see that Doman traditions are being kept here in Figaro. I want the people of Doma to know that I still respect them and their traditions.

An hour later Terra, Edgar and Rose were standing in front of a huge house. Terra and Edgar smiled at each other ironically. 

“Are you sure this is mine now?” asked Terra.

“Quite. I can’t think of anyone else who can get better use of it than you. No more living in a cramped basement as far as I’m concerned.”

“That secret passage Celes and Locke told me about worries me. It may take quite a bit of work to get this renovated to my satisfaction.”

“That is also why I gave you all that money. You can renovate and furnish the house to your satisfaction and then move in once everything is ready.”

Terra smiled at Edgar, “Thank you. I can’t tell you how much this means to me.”

Edgar smiled back at Terra. He didn’t say a word, but suddenly bent down and kissed her.

Rose blushed and giggled. A couple of townsmen began to applaud. 

Both Edgar and Terra blushed. They had forgotten that they were out in public.

“It’s about bloody time you got serious about a girl,” came the gravelly voice of an older man. 

He was every bit as muscular as Sabin. There was a gravity to his eyes that spoke of wisdom. There was a pretty young woman with him who seemed as tough as the older man.

The woman had long brown hair and brown eyes. She was smiling at Edgar. 

“Is that you, Holly?” asked Edgar.

“It’s good to see you, Edgar,” Holly said to Edgar. They quickly embraced.

“I’m forgetting my manners. Terra, Rose, this is Holly Harcourt. She is Duncan’s daughter. She has been traveling teaching her own style of martial arts aimed at teaching girls and women. Holly, this is Terra Branford and Rose DuBose.”

“A pleasure to meet you,” said Holly. Both Terra and Rose shook hands with Holly.

The older man was looking at Rose closely. He smiled. 

“Is she as temperamental as your Aunt was?” he asked Edgar.

Edgar chuckled, “Yes.”

“Did she get that black eye in a scuffle?”

“Yes, but I will admit she didn’t go looking for the fight. She was doing her best to avoid it.”

“That’s a couple of degrees better than Carolina. Caro would have jumped in without thought.”

Rose shyly clung to Terra’s leg. 

“Rose, let me introduce you to Duncan Harcourt. He was Sabin’s martial arts instructor for many years. Duncan, you will have to forgive Rose. She is quite shy when it comes to strangers,” said Edgar.

“Sabin asked me to take a look at Rose. He wanted some guidance about teaching her self defense. Since Holly has specialized in girls and women I think her input is most useful,” said Duncan.

“We might be needing to rotate between self defense and some traditional Doman martial weaponry. I think Doman naginata instruction would also be good for her to learn.”

Holly nodded and smiled. “I’ve seen the Doman’s instructing their girls. You are probably right. They like to start teaching them young so that problems can be corrected before they become ingrained.”

“Why don’t we go inside and talk about this more privately,” suggested Terra. “I’m interested in understanding what kind of instruction you want to plan for Rosie, Edgar.”

“That’s a good idea,” said Holly.

There was a surprising amount of furniture still in the former home of Sam Davidson. When they entered the house and managed to get a lamp turned on they had found a letter. In the letter there was a complete list of everything that was still in the house along with Suzanne Davidson’s best wishes. In the kitchen, there were a surprising amount of dry goods. Terra found an entire jar of tea and made tea for the five of them as Edgar began to explain his wishes for Rose. 

Holly had a question, “Are things really that dangerous for Rose? I would ordinarily recommend waiting a year or two before Rose started to receive training in any form of martial arts.”

“Things are more dangerous than you are letting on, aren’t they.” said Duncan. “Your father started doubling down on both yours and Sabin’s education when the rumors about the Gestahlian Empire began to reach his ears. Especially Sabin’s. Sabin’s illness had left him pretty weak and he needed to be made strong as quickly as he could. That was why I had taken him as a solo student for as long as I did. When your father died Sabin joined my regular class to help him deal with his grief.”

Edgar nodded as Terra began to pass out cups of tea to the gathered group.

“Yes. I can’t really say with any certainty exactly how dangerous things are, but I hope you can appreciate my wanting to make sure Rose is as secure as possible. That means learning how to fight.” Edgar began to frown. “Terra, I know this will upset you. For at least the duration, I think Rose should stay with me at the Castle. She will be better guarded there than here in the city. With the potential of spies, being what it is, all strangers in the castle are going to be watched closely. I can’t do that here in the city.”

Terra’s eyes went soft, “I know Edgar. All of this is to protect Rose.”

“And Figaro. If something where to happen to myself and Sabin, Rose is the next heir. Until I marry, Rose is next in line for the throne after Sabin.”

Rose’s eyes grew large. That was something she didn’t know about. 

“Me?” she squeaked out.

“Yes. My Aunt’s children and grandchildren are in contention for the throne of Figaro. Since there is only you left, that makes you the next heir, after Sabin.”

Duncan and Holly nodded grimly. They had suspected it. That was why Edgar was eager to keep Rose protected. If he never married the throne was still secure in his family. From what Duncan could tell from Edgar, he was also genuinely fond of Rose as well. He hoped better for Edgar though. Some of the looks he gave to Ms Branford told him that Edgar would likely marry before long.

“There is one thing though. I understand the need to keep her closer to the castle, but Rose doesn’t know a lot of people there,” said Terra. “I would have to insist that she come to me at least on the weekends for the most part. Bring her here after her studies are over on Fridays and pick her up on Sundays after tea time.”

Edgar smiled. “It will be a couple of weeks before everything here is ready for you to move in, we can get all the details worked out.”

They heard the ring of a doorbell. When they opened it, it was Sabin.

“Holly!” Sabin exclaimed. “When did you get back into town?”

They embraced fondly. To Edgar it was just a little too close for mere friends.

“Yesterday. I came as soon as I got Dad’s letter requesting some assistance in teaching little Rose.”

“It’s good to see you.”

“Well, weakling. Do you want to show me all you have learned in your travels?’ Holly’s smile was challenging. 

“I think you are in for a surprise, Holly. I am not the same ninety pound weakling you remember.”

Holly’s gaze was frank. “No, you’re not. Show me. Has Dad taught you his most secret techniques?”

“You’ll find out, won’t you,” Sabin’s look was equally challenging. 

“Out in the courtyard,” came the firm voice of Duncan. “Contest rules, no killing or disabling blows. Just enough to test each other’s strength.” Both Holly and Sabin nodded and bowed to Duncan. He was their master and his conditions were to be accepted. 

“Pay attention to Holly, Rose.” said Duncan. “It’s her style of martial arts I want you to learn. Men are always bigger and stronger than women, but those are also weaknesses to the skilled. Holly’s style takes advantage of those weaknesses.”

They walked out into a large courtyard with a large center space. Rose stood near Edgar.

“What do you think?” asked Rose.

Edgar smiled at Rose. “I think Sabin is in for a large surprise.”

Both Holly and Sabin began to stretch and warm up. Duncan stood to the side and watched them as they warmed up. When they were ready, They stood opposite each other then they first bowed to Duncan, then turned and bowed to each other. They began to circle each other as they watched each other looking for the slightest move. 

With a flash of movement, Sabin rushed Holly looking for an opening. Holly dodged, punched out, grabbed Sabin by the upper arm and threw him to the other side of the courtyard. Sabin had been surprised by the throw, but quickly recovered and leapt back to his feet. He nodded his head at Holly in acknowledgment of the point. They smiled faintly at each other and mutually rushed each other. 

Rose watched as they began to trade jabs and punches. She wasn’t sure if she or Sabin had been more surprised when suddenly Holly kicked up almost vertically landing a solid kick to Sabin’s jaw throwing him back.

Edgar commented to Rose, “The first throw was using Sabin’s size and momentum against him, allowing Holly to throw him. The kick was using her smaller stature to kick up and out getting him away from her. This is what Duncan meant about larger and stronger being weaknesses against a skilled opponent.”

Rose nodded. She would learn a lot. Terra nodded at Edgar, giving him her silent assent. This would make Rose strong. 

Holly and Sabin were once again circling each other. They once again began to rush each other. Their movements were once again a blur as they fought. This time the clash went on for longer Sabin quit underestimating Holly and Holly was having a hard time penetrating Sabin defenses. 

After a time, Duncan called out. “Time’s up!”

Sabin and Holly went back to their starter positions and bowed to each other. They were both sweating and apparently enjoyed sparring each other. They then turned to Duncan and bowed to Duncan. He nodded at them in acknowledgment. 

“Stretch and cool down for at least fifteen minutes,” commanded Duncan. 

“You’ve gotten good, weakling,” Holly complimented Sabin. “Once you figured out my attack I couldn’t land anything.”

“You’ve gotten good too, Holly. You surprised me with that kick.”

“Good it’s meant to catch you off guard. If I can surprise you then I have done very well indeed,” said Holly.

Holly and Sabin smiled at each other.

There was the distant tolling of a bell announcing that it was two in the afternoon.

“I need to check the pantry and figure out dinner,” said Terra. 

“Don’t forget good fresh fish and other meats are readily available here in South Figaro,” reminded Edgar. “Not to mention fresh vegetables and fruits.”

Terra nodded as she lead everyone back to the kitchen area. Terra noted she had staples such as flour and some preserves, but little other canned or dried goods. She made shopping list for the night.

Holly and Duncan escorted Terra and the others in town and promised they would see Rose In Figaro Castle the next afternoon after her regular classes, as they said goodbye. Sabin volunteered to pick up the rest of Terra’s children at school as Edgar, Terra and Rose went to the central marketplace to purchase enough food for the night.

An hour later, they returned with enough pork, vegetables and crusty loaves of bread to make a delicious stew with. It would be hot and plentiful for everyone and would even be enough for when Celes and Locke joined them while they talked that night. 

As the children got out of school for the day, they talked about school and teachers they had liked. Emma went immediately to the kitchen and began to help Terra get dinner on the table for the group. The rest began to tear through the house, exploring their new home. They were surprised by the sheer size of the house and all the bedrooms. They counted seven potential rooms, excluding the master bedroom. Most of the rooms were fully furnished, although they only had one bed each for the most part. Still, the beds were big enough for two people to share. They were used to much more crowded conditions. 

A knock on the door came and a liveried messenger came for Edgar. His face was grim as he read the message and nodded. 

“Locke and Celes will be later than they thought,” he murmured to Terra. “They have some things that need to be taken care of in the castle.”

“What things?” asked Rose.

“The kind I can’t talk about, Rose. Whatever the situation is in the castle, it must be large for it to require more than Shadow.”

Rose figured it had something to do with someone trying to kill Edgar the night before. She said nothing and allowed the conversation to drop. 

Terra, Edgar, Sabin and the rest of the children crowded into the dining room, when Emma called that dinner was ready. Derek began to help Emma serve dinner to everyone and placed out platters of crusty bread as tureens of stew began to come out of the kitchen and were placed in the center of the table.

Names were shouted as various children were called to set the table. Rose’s job was to place napkins for everyone. Carrie was placing silverware out for everyone to eat with. 

Once everything was set up they all began to take places around the table. At Terra’s nod, they sat down and began to eat. The conversation around the table was lively as they ate their meal. 

It was a new experience for Edgar. This was the first time he had ever seen how normal families related to one another in their own home. As a Prince and later as King, his ordinary dinners were usually either solitary or, as with his lunches, eaten in the company of the Court. He relaxed and enjoyed the sounds of normal talk. The boys were talking about various games and sports. Some of the older boys were discussing pretty girls. The girls were talking about their new classmates with Carrie teasing Emma about a boy. Emma blushed and then scolded Carrie stating that she had barely met the boy.

Edgar enjoyed every minute. It was much better conversation than politics or the gossip of the Court. There was a lot of love in this kind of talk. It made for better company.


	28. Rats and Monsters

Figaro Castle

The Head Cook’s assistant kept his head down and continued to knead the loaves of bread he had been assigned for that evenings meal. He was a small man with brown hair and eyes and a plain face. The gossip of the castle had already reached his ears about the execution order of one Willow Buscadore. 

He could only shake his head the same as any of the other castle servants. In his mind, he could curse at the stupidity of Margreet Zell. He had objected to her being given this assignment, knowing that her vanity and egotism were more of a liability than any real help on this mission. Now, he could only hope that his two other agents in the castle had gotten his message about leaving the castle that night before they were all exposed as a spy ring. They would finish there various duties and chores of the day and quietly slip out of the castle. Easy. 

He placed the four loaves of bread he had been kneading into their pans and set them into the oven to bake. Once he had done so, his tasks for the day were finished. The Second Cook would pull them out when they were finished. She liked to double check everything before they were served and make certain nothing was ever burned or under cooked. 

The small man slipped out the servants exit and headed towards a hidden chamber in the halfway to the servants quarters. He barely registered what was happening to him when he felt the garrote slip around his neck and tighten around his throat. He clawed desperately at his throat as the light faded…

There was a scream. One of the longtime chambermaids was screaming at the sight of the dead man’s body in the corridor to the servant’s quarters. Servant’s gathered and then the Head Butler came with the Chancellor. Their faces were grim at the sight of the strangled former Cook’s assistant. They asked questions of the chambermaid and the Head Cook and quickly removed the body from the castle to be buried. 

Two people were mostly silent, as they quietly joined in the talk with the other servants. While they knew that the deceased was their spymaster, they did not know of each other. It was one way their boss kept them safe. You can’t tell anyone else of a spy you do not know about. Seeing him dead, they knew they had to leave that night as soon as possible. If their ringleader was dead, they lives were in danger. 

Neither knew that the shadows were watching their every move. They quickly changed out of their servants vestments and began to sneak their way out of the castle. The shadows gathered and slit their throats. No one ever knew where their bodies had been buried as Shadow made certain that Figaro Castle was safe and that all spies had been cleaned out of it’s hallways. King Edgar could sleep in peace.

Margreet Zell sat in sullen silence as a series of guards dressed in black came to her prison cell. She still could not believe that Edgar would not listen to her pleas of mercy. She was stripped of the prison uniform and dressed in a plain linen gown. Her hand were tied to her back. A priest from the Brotherhood of the Sun came and inquired if she wanted to make a confession before her sentence was carried out. 

For the first time, Margreet began to feel dread. The entire time she had her affair with Edgar, she always thought that the possibility of death was as remote as the moon. Even after Edgar broke off the relationship, she had always thought she could just talk her way out of any serious trouble. Seeing the priest and the guards dressed in black told her there was no way out of the trouble she was in. Edgar refused to see her. 

A black hood was placed over her head. She was blind and helpless as the guards lead her to her fate. 

Margreet began to cry. She began to plead with the gods for mercy. Nevermind that she would have showed no mercy.

She was lead for several minutes. Finally, they stopped walking. Margreet was roughly dragged and forced to kneel. She could feel the rough wood as her neck was exposed to the Headsman.

Margreet began to tremble.

There was dead silence. 

The priest began to chant prayers for her soul. 

There was a swift swish of air.

The head rolled off the block as the people gathered to watch the execution grimaced at the need for it. 

The black hood fell off as the head rolled. The look on the woman’s face was one of blank fear. 

It was over. 

Two hours later, Locke Cole and Celes Chere knocked on the front door of the estate they were beginning to think of as Terra’s house. There was a Royal Messenger with them as they entered the home. 

Edgar read the message. Terra caught the flash of pain on his face before it became a blank mask. He nodded to the messenger and told him. 

“Give her a decent burial although it must be in an unmarked grave. As far as the rats go, let the carrion of the desert have them.”

The messenger bowed to the King and left. 

Neither Locke or Celes said a word to Edgar as he took a handkerchief and wiped the tears from his eyes.

Terra, being bolder, went to Edgar and gave him a tight hug. 

As he had that afternoon, Edgar broke down and wept in her arms. As Terra held Edgar, both Locke and Celes joined them. They cried and held each other the way only the closest of friends did.

They had no idea how much time had passed before they realized that they were still in the entranceway of Terra’s new home. 

As they managed to get themselves back into the noise and push of the children of Terra’s home. They realized they had reason to laugh as Carrie was melodramatically mocking one of her math teachers as she tutored one of the boys on his math lessons. The rest of the children were picking up on the melodrama and acting up. Rose was emboldened and began to make fun of some of the other children she went to school with. 

Emma came out with a tea tray as well as both Locke and Celes’ meal. The adults began to talk quietly among themselves while Locke and Celes ate.

Before long, Terra called out and began to organize the children for baths and to go to bed. There was a great deal of shouting and running around as the children took their baths and began to go to bed. The only one who had not quite gone to bed was Emma. She had made a decision about the job offer Edgar had made to her. Emma wanted to tell Edgar personally and wanted to head off any questions that Mama Terra may have. 

“Is this pretty typical of when they all go to bed?” asked Edgar. 

Terra smiled ruefully, “Yes. They scream, they shout, run around and then all of a sudden its quiet. More or less. I expect there will be a few issues that need my attention before they all go to sleep. Still, they will be in their rooms and most of them will go to sleep immediately. They should all be tucked up and asleep in about an hour.”

“MAMA! There is a Monster underneath my bed! Make it go away!”

That was the voice of the second youngest girl, Mary. Mary was the complete opposite of Rose. She was tall for her age and blonde. She was also pretty timid. Rose loved Mary and would defend her with her life, but thought that Mary let people push her around too much. About half of her fighting with Owen had been Rose defending Mary.

“Mary! You’re being silly,” said Rose. “There is nothing underneath the bed!”

“That’s because it thinks that red heads taste gross. It likes to eat little blonde girls! You’re a red head! You’re safe! I’m a blonde! It wants me for its dinner! Mama, don’t listen to Rosie!” squealed Mary.

“See what I mean?” smiled Terra. 

Edgar, Celes and Locke all smiled at Terra. Terra went to go confront the “monster”.

After a few minutes, Terra went back downstairs. She noticed that Emma was waiting for them. 

“What are you still doing up, Emma?” asked Terra. 

“I want to talk to you and Edgar.”

“Come on downstairs,” invited Terra.

Terra lead Emma to the sitting room where Edgar and the rest had been waiting and making small talk.

“What did you want to talk to me about, Emma?” asked Terra. 

“Well, I’ve made a decision about that job,” said Emma. 

Edgar seemed to brighten at the news. 

“Yes?” he asked.

“I’ve decided to take the job,” said Emma. 

“What about school?” asked Terra. “Don’t you want to finish school?”

“I’m sorry Mama, but some of the stuff they are trying to teach me I just don’t understand. I have always liked cooking and baking and things. I think I will do much better doing that for now.”

“Well, if we are talking about our decisions, I have to make an announcement, myself,” said Terra. 

“Yes?” asked Edgar, although he could guess what Terra’s decision. 

“I have decided to move here to South Figaro as soon as possible,” said Terra. “The rest of the children and myself should stay here, since this is where their school is. I had been afraid that the house would be pretty barren of beds and the like. But being here I can see that Mrs Davidson was giving as much as she could to our family as well.”

Edgar nodded, although Terra could see that he really didn’t want her to leave the castle.

“I’ll go with you to the castle when you return and I can pack a few days of clothing for the rest of the children. I will come back on Friday for the rest of our things. It’s just as well that Emma has decided to go to work for you, Edgar. Since she is pretty close to Rose, she can help you out with her and that way Rose isn’t left with a stranger she doesn’t know.” 

“I was planning on caring for her, for the most part,” objected Edgar.

Terra smiled, “I know, but you are also King and your duties may take you away when you least expect it. That way Emma is there for Rosie.”

Edgar nodded. Actually, that was better than he had expected.


	29. Moving

The next morning, Edgar, Terra, Emma, and Rose got on the carriage back to Figaro Castle. Derek was left in charge and Locke and Celes stayed behind to help him out and make sure everyone was fed and dressed in time for school.

Rose was silent as they left for the castle. Yes, it was going to be good that Emma was going to be with her. Still, Rose was nervous about leaving Mama for the first time. She had known it was possible that Edgar would take over her care. But, she would still miss Mama. 

“You’ll get used to it, Rose.” Terra murmured to Rose. “You two have developed a special bond. Edgar will never let anyone hurt you. It will just take some time for you two to get used to it. You are to come home to me just about every weekend. I’ll also pop in from time to time just to see how you are doing.”

“I’ll miss you, Mama,” said Rose.

Terra smiled, “Not as much as I think you would miss Edgar if you were to stay with me. I think this time next week you will adjust nicely to living with Edgar.” 

The carriage rolled into the courtyard of Figaro Castle. The Chancellor, Angelo, and High Priestess Kayla were all there. 

“Now go. I want to hear all about your first week of living with Edgar on Friday when you come over to visit.”

Terra and Rose gave each other a tight hug. Edgar gently took hold of Rose’s hand as he turned to the Chancellor and Kayla. He gestured for Emma to follow as they were swept up into Figaro Castle. 

Terra waved as two of her children left. She cried a little. Still, she knew that before long this was going to happen.

She turned from the courtyard and went to the tower she had been borrowing from Edgar and began to pack enough clothing for the rest of her children for the week. They would all come back on Friday to finish packing up and moving to their new home.

Edgar, The Chancellor, Kayla and Emma all went to the rather large kitchens of the castle. Kayla inspected Rose’s black eye and with a nod stated she only needed more bruise balm that day. 

The Chancellor quietly cornered King Edgar and told him of the two other spies that had been caught and executed. Edgar gestured to his Chancellor that he wanted to speak more about about it privately. The Chancellor nodded.

Edgar then introduced Emma to the Head Cook and explained about his job offer. 

The Head Cook was an older woman in her fifties who had started as a scullery maid as a girl and worked her way up the ranks eventually becoming the Head Cook. She gave Emma an appraising look and then started to give her tasks to test her capabilities and test her cooking knowledge. 

Emma was surprised at the Cooks nod to the King and quietly began the tasks the Cook gave her. They were simple enough. Peeling and slicing vegetables. Cutting up a raw leafer rabbit to be prepared for a pot pie. 

The cook nodded, “Alright. You know your basics of prep work. Now, lets try a cooked dish. You have almost all you need for a pot pie. Turn all the raw ingredients into a pot pie for myself and my second in command to taste. We will be checking for doneness of the meat the tenderness of the vegetables and most importantly taste.”

Emma nodded, “Yes ma’am.”

Emma quickly went to her tasks. She began to cook the rabbit and lightly steam the vegetables to make cooking in the oven faster. As Emma cooked the raw meat and vegetables, she made a pie crust for the pot pie. She rolled out half of her finished dough onto a pie pan and baked it while she deboned the rabbit and turned the leftover juice into a gravy to make her sauce. Emma checked her seasoning several times as she pulled the pie pan out of the oven to cool. 

As she began to mix her final rabbit filling for the pie the Head Cook began to question her. 

“Tell me, why do you steam the vegetables before you put them in the sauce? Won’t they still cook in the oven?”

“Not as well as they should,” answered Emma. “The oven is very hot and the top crust will bake quickly. If I don’t at least steam them before I put the whole pie in the oven the vegetables won’t be cooked before the top crust is finished baking.” 

The Head Cook nodded at Emma. “Very good. You have been taught well. Let’s see how it tastes when it comes out of the oven. While that bakes, I want you to make a dessert for me. Surprise me. Use whatever you like in the kitchen.”

“Yes, Ma’am,” replied Emma. She quickly finished the rabbit pot pie and placed it in the oven to bake. Afterwards she began to inspect the pantry and found a variety of fresh fruits and nuts. After a hot meal like the pie a cool dessert would be in order. Emma pulled out a bowl, several fruit, honey, and walnuts. She then made a cool fruit salad with walnuts and honey for dressing. She put it in the cool pantry to keep cool as the pot pie was just about finished baking. 

The pie was allowed to cool as the Cook smiled at Emma. “Go ahead and put it on the small table. Let’s eat and taste your cooking. Then I will know where I want to place you.”

The pot pie was placed on the table as directed and the Head Cook and her second in command took generous helpings. They gestured to Emma.

“Come and eat with us, child. This might be a test of your cooking knowledge, but I don’t want you to starve in the process. After we do all the main cooking, we all eat together. It’s a good way to test out new recipes and teach at the same time.”

Emma sat and a third generous portion was passed out to her. 

The Cooks took a bite of Emma’s pie and smiled. “Delicate seasoning. A little too delicate, but still good. Your crust is flaky and flavorful. The rabbit is perfectly cooked as are the vegetables. Good job. It has been a long time since a skilled cook has looked for work here. Most of my assistants are lazy scatterbrains.”

“Or they don’t want to put in the work to learn how to be better,” said the other Cook. “Now, let’s try your dessert. I was surprised you went for a fruit salad. Why?”

“I thought that after a hot meal such as the pie, something cool would make for a better dessert,” said Emma. 

“Good thinking. Especially here in the desert. The days are hot and cool desserts are better at lunchtime.”

The two women nodded at Emma.

“Okay. I know where I want to place you,” said the Head Cook. “Let’s go ahead and get you settled in the servants quarters. It’s currently ten o’clock. We will get you your uniforms and report back at noontime. I’m certain that our baker, Shirl, is going to test you further on baking and confections. Since you are new, we will have you on the breakfast and lunch shifts. Lunches are almost always a full Court event. Most of my people help in the prep work, but you are skilled beyond that. I’ve needed a good cook badly for the lunch shift for a long time. You might not do a lot of the breakfast cooking, but lunch cooking starts at the same time. I want you rotating the different cook and baking stations. That could mean from cooking a roast to baking pies. You’re a good home cook, but it will take time to get used to the amounts of cooking we do for the whole castle.”

“I’ve been cooking for as many as fourteen, I can imagine how much more its going to be,” said Emma with a wry smile.

“That’s right! You’re one of Ms Branford’s girls, aren’t you?” smiled The Head Cook. “That’s excellent. You have a good idea on how much it takes to cook for a large group of people. Most of my helpers come from much smaller families and are clueless that you need to keep your eyes peeled on multiple pots of the exact same food.”

“Come. Let’s get you set up. I’ll have a couple of the regular servants come over this afternoon and help you move your stuff to where the rest of us live. By the way I’m Mrs Palmer and my second here is Ms Fitzwilliam. Our main baker is Mrs Hart, but she prefers if you call her Shirl. Since we are the main Cooks, you will report directly to myself, Ms Fitzwilliam and Shirl. If someone gives you trouble just let one of us know and we will deal with it.”

“June, go ahead and take over lunch, while I show Emma around. Let Shirl know that I have someone for her to test for her baking skills,” commanded Mrs Palmer. 

Ms Fitzwilliam nodded at Mrs Palmer and headed back into the kitchen. Mrs. Palmer was telling Emma about her new living quarters and the rules she set to the girls as they walked into a hidden corridor for the servants.

As Emma was beginning to be tested by the Cooks of the castle; Edgar, Rose and Kayla left quietly. Edgar was explaining to Kayla about the need for Rose to stay with him that day. He had an important meeting with the Royal Council the next day and he needed Rose to be moved into the royal apartment that day, among other things.

“May I ask why she is not moving with Ms Branford to South Figaro?” asked Kayla.

“It’s a safety concern. I can guard Rose much better here than I can in South Figaro.”

Kayla took a closer look at Rose and then cursed her blindness. Now, it all made sense. 

“Is what I am seeing real?” she asked.

“It depends on what your presumptions are. If you are thinking that I have been indiscreet, then No, what you are seeing isn’t real. If are are taking a much closer look, then perhaps.”

“What about Matthew and Christopher?” asked Kayla. She had known both of Edgar’s cousins. When they were children they came to visit with their mother.

“Matthew was killed trying to reach Mobliz. Christopher died when an earthquake collapsed the roof of the basement he had taken refuge in. He had a daughter who was two at the time. She was the only one who survived.” Edgar bent and picked up Rose who had gone very quiet. They both looked at Kayla with the sapphire blue Figaro eyes. “Do you understand a little better?”

Kayla said nothing and nodded.

Rose stood still in the bedchamber that Edgar had said was to be hers. She had never seen such grandness in any home before, much less a room that was to be hers.

The room itself was big as Mama’s private room when they still lived in the basement in Mobliz. The bed itself could have fit herself, Mary, and Carrie. It even had curtains on it. Rose had never seen such a thing before. The wardrobe and closet could have held not only all of her own clothing, but just about all the girls clothing. The furniture was finely crafted, although Rose could tell that they had some scuff marks from past use. 

Edgar smiled at Rose’s hesitancy. From Rose’s expression she had never seen anything quite like this. 

“Now, Rosie, let’s go and get your things. This will seem more like yours when you have your own things here.”

“Are you sure you want me to stay here? I get nightmares and stuff...”

Edgar swiftly picked Rose up. 

“I know, sweetheart. It’s okay. I get nightmares too.”

“I can’t sleep when I get them. It drives my other sisters crazy. I can’t sleep, so I start to keep them up too because I can’t sleep.”

“I can handle it,” Edgar murmured in reassurance. “I can’t sleep either when I get my nightmares. I become a Royal Pain.”

Rose giggled at the joke.

“That’s better. I like hearing you laugh and seeing you smile. I know this is unlike anything you are used to. Sooner or later, though, no matter what Terra may think or like, you are going to have to get used to being a Lady. Being both a Duchess and my cousin, you are a member of the Royal Family. That’s a lot of responsibility, no matter what. As your guardian, my responsibilities are to teach you your eventual responsibilities as Duchess. It is also my responsibility to educate you as well as protect you. That’s easier if you are living with me most of the time. I don’t like the idea of you staying with nursemaids most of the time, so I am giving you a room here.”

“Okay,” said Rose.

“Let’s go get your things,” Edgar repeated, putting Rose back down on the floor. 

Edgar and Rose chatted amicably as they went to the tower that Terra and the rest of the children had been staying. 

Terra was still there as they entered the tower. She smiled as Edgar and Rose walked in. 

“I thought you would be here before long,” said Terra. “I’ve already gotten Rosie’s things ready.”

Edgar sighed, “Have you already gotten everything else ready?”

“Yes. I have already gotten everything else ready as well,” Terra smiled at Edgar. 

“I wish you wouldn’t go. You and the rest of the children have done nothing but bring life to this castle.”

“I know you think that Edgar, but listen to me. We all need to find our places in the world. Rosie’s is with you. I still need a little time to re adjust to the world. You can’t shelter me from that. Besides, I know I will see you at least every weekend when you bring Rosie to me. In a little while, who knows what may come?”

“I’ll miss you.”

Terra smiled. “Well, South Figaro is a lot closer that Mobliz. If it gets to be too much, or you need help with Rosie, you know where I am.”

“Will you at least stay for lunch before you go?”

Terra looked at both Edgar and Rose. “I can stay for lunch.”


	30. Dragoon Boots

This time Edgar requested a private lunch for the three of them. They talked and joked and enjoyed each others company. Edgar was delighted when Terra’s main focus had been on ensuring that Rose was settling down. 

After lunch, Edgar and Rose escorted Terra to her carriage where she gave Rose a kiss on the forehead and reminded her to be good for Edgar.

When it was Edgar’s turn to say goodbye, he thought he would only give Terra a chaste embrace and kiss of farewell. His kiss had started out chaste enough, but he quickly started a lingering kiss that made the servants pause and gave the courtiers something to gossip about as Ms Branford had turned red.

They smiled at each other and promised to see each other Friday late afternoon, as soon as Rose’s classes were finished. 

They waved goodbye to Terra as she drove the chocobo out of the courtyard and back to South Figaro. 

After Terra left, Edgar sighed and looked at Rose.

“Come, Rose. Today you are going to start martial training. I hope you never see war in your lifetime, but I know that is a pretty futile hope. By starting this kind of training you will learn not only how to defend yourself, but how to lead troops.”

“How old were you when you started to train this way,” asked Rose. 

“I was just about your age. I started on staves and spears and later learned swordsmanship and became a knight. I had not been a knight long when my father himself had died, but I knew enough to be crowned King. Here, by long precedent, each King is also a knight. This is done for the same reasons I want you to start training in this manner. To learn self defense as well as to learn how to lead troops.”

Rose nodded. Edgar had already told her this. 

“Let’s go change into something that neither of us will mind getting dirty in,” said Edgar. 

They quickly went to their respective rooms in the Royal apartment. Rose quickly changed into a plain pair of pants. When she was finished changing she waited in the sitting area where she and Edgar had breakfast only a week before. It’s funny how quickly her life was changing, she thought. 

When Edgar emerged from his room he smiled at Rose who was waiting patiently for him. 

“Let’s go,” he said with a smile. 

Edgar quickly lead them through several corridors outdoors and into a building that had benches on the outside of what appeared to be an indoor practice ring that was tall with rafters. 

Right now, Aunt Celes was wielding a practice sword as she worked with a couple of girls who appeared to be in their early teens. 

“Ahh,” said Edgar. “These young ladies are both Knight Candidates. They are being tested on their dedication and willingness to learn about becoming knights. If they are accepted, they will join the ranks of pages and squires and learn their craft of Knighthood. Celes is helping evaluate their willingness to learn and above all their ability to think for themselves. If all they do is accept orders, they are better off in the army than as knights.”

Celes nodded at the girls in the practice ring. 

“You have both done well. You will be getting a sealed letter from the Chancellor before Harvest Festival on whether you have been accepted or not. If you are accepted, you are invited to come back the Friday after Harvest Festival to join the ranks of the pages. Good luck! I hope to see you come back.” 

Celes smiled at the girls. They smiled back shyly. Celes had not given them much praise while she worked with them. It was encouraging to hear her say they had done well. They bowed to Celes. They then saw Edgar, blushed in surprise and attempted to curtsy to their King as he had observed them. 

“Good luck and Godspeed, Ladies,” he said as he gave a courtly bow to them. The two girls giggled and quickly ran away.

Celes smiled at both Edgar and Rose. She knew that Edgar was serious about raising her by the way Rose had not been far from him all morning and how Edgar was taking a personal interest in her training. She thought that Rose might be a little young to start training, but if she knew how fight back correctly or even browbeat an intruder with a broomstick she was that much safer. 

“If you don’t mind, Edgar, I’d like to stick around?” Celes asked. 

Edgar shook his head, “I don’t mind. Your observances will be helpful. Sabin, Duncan, and Holly should be here soon. Cyan will join us a little later.”

An eyebrow raised, “Who’s Holly?”

Edgar forgot that Celes didn’t know Holly.

“My apologies. Holly Harcourt. She is Duncan’s daughter and using her fathers teachings has developed a form of martial arts that specializes in girls and women. Basically teaching on how to turn what are traditional male strengths such as size and physical strength and use them to a woman’s or young girls advantage.”

Celes’s eyebrows raised, “Really? That’s an interesting form of martial art.”

“Highly useful in self defense,” said Edgar. 

Celes nodded. Not a bad thing for Rose to learn, even if she were young, she thought.

Sabin entered with both Duncan and Holly Harcourt. After a brief introduction to Celes, they began to focus on Rose. 

“First things, first,” said Holly. “First, lets go ahead and find out how strong you are and how good your endurance is. We will focus on those for the first couple of weeks.”

“Rose is stronger than she looks. Especially when her temper gets the best of her,” said Sabin. “She gave me some pretty good bruises when I pulled her out of a fight.”

“I’m sorry,” mumbled Rose. “I didn’t think I hurt you. It felt like I had been pounding on a brick wall.”

“It’s alright, Hellfire. From now on you must know and accept that you are dangerous. Some of what we are going to teach you will help you manage your temper better. The most important thing to know, though, is that you are a dangerous person. Dennis Clarkson gave you that black eye, but you had given an equally, if not greater, pounding than he gave you. All due to your temper. Still, you have shown some attempts at trying to gain control of your temper. This will help strengthen those controls. It’s something my Aunt Caro never learned, to her detriment. After we test your strength and teach you a few other things, we will meditate. Meditation is a way of schooling the mind to have greater control of our thoughts and actions. Even if Edgar waited to teach you self defense, I was going to suggest to both him and Terra that we work on your mental discipline through meditation.”

“Will this help her with things such as nightmares?” asked Edgar. “Terra warned me that Rose is prone to night terrors.”

Sabin smiled faintly at his brother, “As are we both, Edgar. The answer to your question is yes. It won’t stop the nightmares themselves, but it will change how she reacts to them. Mental discipline will help her calm down much faster and relax enough to go back to sleep. Controlling our fears is a big part of meditation”

Edgar nodded. 

“Alright,” said Duncan. “Let us begin...”

An hour later, Rose was tired, sore, and was getting frustrated as Sabin was attempting to get Rose to settle down into a meditation. Every time she felt she was close to a peaceful state another muscle would cramp up forcing Rose to try to settle down all over again.

“That’s enough for now,” said Duncan. “Tomorrow we shall meditate before you have your lesson.”

“Tomorrow?” asked Rose with a note of complaint. 

“Yes, little Rose. Tomorrow. We shall do this every day for at least the next several weeks. Even when you are with your mother, Holly and myself will go to train you.”

Rose’s face was dismayed, but she said nothing. This was Edgar’s decision, not hers. 

Edgar smiled at the look on Rose’s face. He was pretty sure he had worn the same expression when he started his martial training. He had gotten used to it and so would Rose. It would just take time for things to become a routine for Rose. Once Rose was used to the routine, she wouldn’t even think about it. In fact, she would treat a day or two break as the reward it would be. 

“Now,” said Edgar. “Cyan and myself are going to demonstrate glaives. This is both training for myself, but it’s also a lesson on stave fighting.”

“I would be better for that, Edgar,” came a voice out of nowhere.

It was Mog. His white fur was gleaming and his pink puff ball nose was twitching. 

“Cyan is a brilliant swordsman, but is no equal to you when it comes to a glaive or any other stave, Edgar. That would be me. Beside I am much better at teaching a small person how use such a weapon, since I am only a little larger than the little Rose.”

Edgar’s eyebrows raised. “Full equipment?”

Mog nodded, “Dragoon boots and dragon horn, Edgar. Use a Mythril Spear. It is less damaging than a Holy Lance. This is only a demonstration, after all.” 

Edgar nodded and left to go equip himself. 

Rose was impressed when Edgar returned a few minutes later. His armor was polished bright as was the spear in his hand. He had tucked something odd in his belt and was carrying a pair of boots. They were special mechanical boots that appeared to have some sort of spring mechanism on them. The toes had sharp metal teeth.

Sabin said softly to Rose, “Those are Dragoon or Jump boots. They will allow Edgar to Jump to extraordinary heights and allow him to strike from above several times. I have never seen how two opponents equipped such fight each other though. This will be interesting. I think that only our Aunt Carolina knew how to battle this way. I’m pretty sure she taught Edgar some of her secret techniques.”

Edgar put the boots on and after tying them off in several places he began to make test jumps. Rose’s eyes widened as Edgar jumped into the rafters of the building and stopped. He jumped back down and jumped up immediately again. This time he stopped and made adjustments to the boots on his feet. He once again jumped back up to the rafter of the building, except that this time instead of jumping down he jumped across the high rafters several times before he jumped back down. 

Mog stood in the center of the practice ring and observed Edgar carefully. He also put on a similar pair of boots and began to practice jump after Edgar. Edgar observed Mog similarly as Mog made practice jumps and adjustments to his boots.

They nodded at each other and picking up their spears they entered the practice ring. 

“Let’s start with a traditional spear fight before we get to the advanced stuff,” said Edgar. 

Mog nodded. 

They bowed to each other and held their spears ready as they circled each other. Rose got the immediate impression that they were looking for each others slightest movements.

Suddenly and almost before Rose could see it, Mog moved to attack Edgar with the spear he was holding. Edgar immediately blocked and parried the spear. They smiled at each other and began to attack in earnest. Their movement was blinding and difficult to see. They didn’t even get close to each other with the blades on their respective spear. Rather, it looked like an elaborate staff fight.

“Time,” called out Cyan. 

They backed off and stood opposite of each other. They saluted each other with the spears in each others hand. 

“You haven’t let yourself get out of shape,” commented Mog. 

“Neither have you, Mog. I was afraid that having no one but Umaro around might have started to make your skills rusty. Besides if I didn’t practice, the Royal Council would have chained me to my desk and do more paperwork.”

“Ready?” asked Edgar.

“Let’s Jump this time.”

Edgar nodded. 

Edgar and Mog once again faced off. This time instead of circling each other, they both crouched low and jumped into the rafters together. As Rose had observed Edgar Jumping from rafter to rafter, both Edgar and Mog began to jump in this manner this time they faced off with their spears as they Jumped. After four Jumps in this manner they both jumped back down and a few moments later they once again jumped into the rafters and dueled with their spears. 

“Point!” called Edgar. Mog nodded and said “Noted.” 

As before, Cyan called “Time!”

Both Edgar and Mog jumped down and once again saluted each other with their spears. 

Edgar saw Rose’s amazed face and knew that she had been impressed with his skills in staves.

“See, little Rose? That’s what Edgar wants you to learn, eventually. We will start with traditional Doman naginata. Naginata are very similar to the staves that Edgar wields. After you become proficient with that Edgar will work you up to learning how to Jump with other staves,” said Cyan.

“I don’t think I will ever be that good,” said Rose. 

Cyan smiled at the child, “You’ll learn. We start this sort of training at your age so you will grow up and with the naginata. Proficiency will come with time. This will also improve your coordination and strength.”

“So,” said Sabin. “Tomorrow morning at dawn?”

“Yes. That will give us time to clean up before the days business begins,” replied Edgar. “Rosie is an early riser, so this will help keep her busy before breakfast.”


	31. Games and Prisons

“Come, Rose. Let’s clean up and get ready for dinner. Then, we will check the calendar for the next two weeks. I think there may be a formal banquet or two with Ambassadors that we will both have to attend. After dinner we will see both the dressmaker and the cobbler to make sure you appropriately outfitted.”

“Are you sure?” asked Rose.

“Yes. These banquets are for ambassadors and their families. As your guardian, I want you to attend as well. Pay attention to whats going on around you. If you see something unusual tell me.”

When Edgar and Rose were back in the royal apartment, they were met by a man and an older lady. 

“Rose, I would like to introduce you to Lady Lauren Oken. She is to be your lady in waiting and will help you bathe and dress.”

“I can dress myself,” objected Rose. 

“I know, but this is a little of what I meant about becoming a Lady. Ladies usually are never left alone. Not even for bathing and dressing. Besides, for more formal occasions you will not be able to dress yourself, at least not easily. Lady Oken is quite able to help you dress and prepare for the day. Lady Oken can also teach the more refined manners of the Court. Those you will need to learn.”

Rose looked at the older woman shyly. The lady was observing Rose closely. She hadn’t said a word to Rose, but held out her hand with a patient smile.

With a nod of encouragement from Edgar, Rose hesitantly reached out for the pro offered hand.

“Pleased to meet you, Rose,” said Lady Oken. 

Rose was gently guided back to the room that Edgar said was hers. Lady Oken opened a side door to reveal a private bathroom complete with a toilet, washing sink, and a huge bathtub. She began to sing to Rose as she filled the bathtub with not only hot water but also herbs and sweet oils for a ladies soft skin.

“Do you need me to wash you?” Lady Oken asked Rose. 

“No, I can wash myself.”

“Good. Then I will get your clothes ready, while you bathe. Take your time and relax. I know you are used to sharing with other children, but a hot relaxing bath will help you with sore achy muscles after physical training. The herbs I have put in the water will also help ease the aches.”

“Yes, Ma’am,” said Rose. 

Lady Okens eyebrows went up in surprise then she frowned. 

“A Countess calling me Ma’am is inappropriate. Please address me as Lauren, my Lady.”

Rose flushed. “I’ll never remember all this stuff,” she mumbled. 

Lauren smiled. “It’s my job to teach you, my Lady.”

“I’ll call you Lauren if you call me Rose.”

Lauren smiled, “That will do while we are alone. We will work on what we call each other in public.”

Rose smiled at the older woman, “Alright.”

Lauren went to the wardrobe and rummaged through Rose clothes. They were a bit plain but would do for now. She would talk to Edgar about more appropriate clothing for the child. Still the green dress was a lovely color for the child. 

Rose washed herself and after she had done so she soaked in the hot water. Lauren was right about the hot water helping her aching muscles. Rose felt herself relax to the point of sleeping. She shook her head of sleep as Lauren walked back in and smiled at Rose. 

“You look ready for a nap,” she commented. 

“I feel like an overcooked noodle,” replied Rose. 

“Dinner won’t be for an hour and a half. Take a nap. It will do you some good.”

“Then I won’t sleep.”

“Yes, you will. We are just trying to drain the excess tiredness.”

Rose got out of the tub and dried off. Lauren held out a linen shift for Rose and after she put it on, then had Rose lay down on the huge bed.

Rose’s only doll Lina was placed on the top. Rose smiled as she held Lina and drifted off in sleep. A nap really did sound good. 

Rose woke up feeling refreshed. She didn’t see the other lady. She got out of the too big bed. She saw were Lauren had laid out her clothes and began to get dressed. She had just buttoned on her petticoat when Lauren walked in.

“My Lady, it is inappropriate for you to dress yourself.”

“Why? I believe I said I can dress myself.”

Lauren frowned, “This is something you are going to have to get used to, little one. You are a Lady. Quite a high ranking one. Proper Ladies have special servants who dress them, bathe them, and oversee their meals. I understand that you have lived isolated for quite some time. I will be as patient as I need to be for you, but you must also understand that you no longer live in a basement anymore. There will always be some restrictions on what you do and how you dress from now on.”

That angered Rose. “I’d rather live in the basement than be told what to do or where to go or even how to dress. I don’t care about being “Proper”. I don’t care who calls or thinks of me as a barbrain. I am Rose! No one and nothing is going to stop me from being myself!”

Edgar, from the other side of the bedroom door, winced as he heard Rose shout. He once again began to worry about Rose. She was fiercely independent. Crowned heads do not have the choices that Rose wanted. He would have to try to talk to Rose later after dinner. 

He knocked on the door.

“Rose. Try to settle down, please. I know you don’t like it, but please let Lauren do her job. We will talk about the whys later, when we are alone,” said Edgar. 

Rose began to blush after hearing Edgar’s gentle rebuke. Mama would be all over her for being temperamental. She had promised to be good. 

Rose stood still and let the other lady dress her, as much as she felt she could have dressed herself.

“I’m sorry,” Rose apologized to Lauren. 

Lauren smiled, “It’s okay. Just remember I am only here to help you.”

Lauren curtsied to Rose, “You are ready, my Lady. King Edgar awaits. 

Lauren opened the door and once again curtsied as Rose, who was embarrassed at the whole “my Lady” thing, walked out of the bedroom.

Edgar smiled as Rose walked into the main sitting room. Rose was blushing a bright red with embarrassment at the idea of people bowing to her. 

Edgar himself was dressed in formal Court attire. It was obvious to Rose that if they were dressed in such a manner, then they were probably going to eat with the full Court. 

Rose curtsied to Edgar. It seemed appropriate for the way they were both dressed. 

Edgar continued to smile at Rose, “No need for formalities in here, Rose. As you have guessed, today we will dine with the full Court. This is rarely the case however. Since you are with me, the Court bows to our table. Neither of us bow to anyone.”

Edgar bowed to Rose formally. “If you would join me, my Lady?”

Rose started to giggle. This whole thing was silly. 

“Yes, it’s silly and more than a little stupid. However, you can’t afford to let your real feelings and emotions out. There are those who would take advantage of you if they knew what you where thinking and feeling.”

Rose tried to school her face, but the more she tried the harder she started to laugh. 

“You’ll learn little Rose. Shall we?” Edgar offered Rose his hand. Rose took it uncertain.

Edgar lead Rose to the dining hall. Aunt Celes and Uncle Locke as well as Sabin and Cyan were all seated at the head table as they entered. Rose smiled as she saw Angelo seated with his father and whole bunch of girls of various ages. Rose assumed them to be his mother and sisters. Angelo winked as Rose walked in with Edgar. Rose also saw Lizzie Oliver with her father. Lizzie waved enthusiastically at Rose. Rose smiled and gave a small wave back to Lizzie. 

“See,” whispered Edgar to Rose. “The Court isn’t so bad. You have already made friends here. After the meal is over, there is some time for social gatherings. Go and play with them. It will do you some good to play with your friends.” 

Edgar lead Rose to the King’s table. Rose stood and waited for Edgar as he called “Be seated,” to the rest of the Court. As Edgar instructed, she did not bow, but sat on his command.

“Very good,” commented Edgar. 

Platters of roasted venison were brought out for the main course. Tureens of assorted vegetables and gravy were placed in front of them. Servants began to serve the dinner as the rest of the court chatted and gossiped among themselves. Many of the people eating in Court were talking and giving closely guarded looks to King’s table, specifically at Rose. 

One or two of the eldest of the assembled Court gave Rose a close look and then began to chatter to their spouses and other assembled family members. Some of them smiled and began to chatter in a less formal matter with each other. Others began to frown in disapproval at their King. 

Edgar kept Rose shielded from some of the disapproving looks of the Court. 

“I’m causing trouble for you aren’t I?” asked Rose. 

“Ignore it, Rose. Let them gossip. The people who need to know who you are already do. I’m sure that certain members of the Royal Council will try to demand answers tomorrow. But some of the oldest and most senior members, are making the correct guesses. They are ones who matter. They will keep the noisier elements in their place.”

Rose was silent as she began to eat her dinner. She ate with the manners that Terra, Celes and her sister Carrie hammered and yammered into Rose’s head. After a while Rose realized that full Court dinners were pretty boring. She sighed into her mashed potatoes. 

“Bored?” asked Edgar.

“Yeah. All anyone is doing is talking or staring.”

“Mostly, they are playing a game with each other. It’s a game of power and influence. You are an unknown element to them. They are staring because they don’t know if you are a pawn or a Rook on my chessboard.”

“This is all just a game to them?”

“It is, until a war comes. Then they will learn that you are not a playing piece. You are the treasure they have all sworn to me, the King, to protect. You are the Queen of your own chessboard. On any chessboard, the Queen is the most powerful piece.”

“I’m not sure if I like this game.”

“I don’t like it either. People are people, not game pieces. This is a game that we are born to, though. If you are paying attention, though, you have already found a few of the pieces of your chessboard.”

“Like Mama?”

“Yes. Myself as well. I am the King of my game, but I am the Bishop of yours. In time you’ll find the other Knights and Rooks of your game.”

“Such a strange game.” 

“Yes,” was all Edgar said. “Stick to checkers. It’s much more straightforward.”

They finished the main part of their meal and then dessert was served. Rose’s mood improved as she ate the rich pastry she had been served. Edgar was delicately sipping a glass of wine as Rose was drinking tea. 

“Feeling better?” asked Edgar.

“Yes. I am. This is just so different than what I’m used to.”

“It is different. When you eat with your family, there is a lot of love in the talk and play. Here, there is a lot of formality and the talk is less pleasant. Sabin always hated it. I don’t blame him either.”

“It must have been hard to come back, after all that Kefka stuff.”

“It was the hardest thing I have ever done. It is very hard to be forced back into a prison after you have been free, even if my freedom was only for a little time,” Edgar’s voice was sad. “Still, I had accepted my imprisonment a long time ago. So I returned to it. There are many people, including your grandmother, I would have betrayed as surely as Sam Davidson had, if I turned my back on my Kingdom. I hate the idea of putting you in a similar prison. But, like me, do you really have a choice or is the choice an illusion?”

“There is no real choice, is there,” said Rose. “I don’t even have a brother or sister by blood.”

Edgar smiled at Rose, “Well, at least you have a cousin, who knows and understands.”

Rose smiled at Edgar. They at least had each other. She raised her cup of tea at Edgar. 

“To cellmates,” she said.

Edgar raised his wineglass at Rose, “To cellmates,” he said with a smile.

They clinked their cups and drank deeply with a smile.

Most of the Court was mystified by the toast between the King and the child with him. The Chancellor kept his smile to himself. It seemed as if Edgar and Rose had reached an agreement.


	32. The Duke of South Figaro

After dessert, Edgar adjourned the meal. As soon as he had done so, both Angelo and Lizzie and come to the Kings table. They were whispering among each other as they approached.

“Your Majesty,” asked Angelo. “May Rose come with us and play for a while?”

Edgar smiled at Angelo’s formality. “No need to be so formal, Angelo. I have already given Rose permission to play after dinner. Still, there are dressmakers and cobblers who are going to be taking her measurements in an hour and a half. Please bring her back to our apartments by then.”

Rose stood up with a squeal and gave Edgar a kiss on the cheek as she left the table and went to join her friends for a while.

The simple gesture made Edgar blush. He didn’t think something such as play time would give the child such pleasure. He made a mental note of that as Rose, Angelo and Lizzie scurried off into the crowds.

Locke and Celes joined Edgar. 

“Not used to Rose’s brand of charm yet, are you Edgar?” said Locke slyly. 

“I had forgotten how much pleasure it gives a child to be able to play with her friends. Sabin and I had each other almost exclusively. Our schooling had been private tutors for the most part. I’m glad that Rose has already begun to branch out and make friends.”

Celes laughed, “You’ll learn Edgar.”

Angelo, Rose and Lizzie dodged various adults as they scurried off to somewhere private. Some of the adults looked at Rose with various expressions. Some were deeply disapproving, others were more curious than anything. 

“Here we are!” exclaimed Angelo. “I was wondering why you weren’t in school today, but my father said you were moving into the Royal Apartments with the King. Is that true, Rose?”

“Yes. Mama decided to move to South Figaro as soon as possible, but Edgar said he couldn’t guard me well enough there. So today, he moved me into the apartment.”

“I knew it!” exclaimed Lizzie. “I told Papa you had to be related to the King. He said he was pretty sure you and the King’s relationship was more complicated than I thought.”

“It depends on how you think we are related,” said Rose. “Even then, it’s not for me to say. Edgar is trusting me with certain secrets.”

Lizzie made a face. “I hate secrets,” she said.

A new voice called them, “There you are! Come, I wish to talk to all three of you.”

All three children jumped at the sound of the new voice. He was a quite an elderly man. His face was deeply lined and his hair was white and grizzled. Rose saw a sharp intelligence in his pale blue eyes. In fact, he looked a great deal like Angelo.

Angelo smiled at the old man, “Granddad...”

“Granddad, nothing, child. I want to speak to all three of you. Now, not later.” said Angelo’s grandfather.

Angelo, Rose and Lizzie shrugged and followed the old man. He lead them to his own apartment in the castle. He gestured for the children to sit. He was looking closely at Rose. His face was gentle as he smiled. 

“I am quite grateful to know that my Goddaughters granddaughter has survived the Cataclysm.”

“Who are you?” asked Rose. 

The old man smiled and waved away Angelo’s burst of introduction. 

“I am Angelo DeTempsire, the elder. Duke of South Figaro and retired Chancellor under both King Elias the Wise and King Stewart. Princess Carolina Figaro was my Goddaughter.”

“How do you know...”

The old man laughed, “You are the cut of your grandmother, little Rose. Right down to the black eye. Your grandmother was covered in bruises from when she was right about your age until she became a Knight. Temperamental, but sweet at the same time. Becoming a knight gave Carolina focus on what she really wanted her life to be like. She found strength and emotional stability after she married Kenneth Dubose. She wasn’t suited to be some ornamental wife to another King. Kenneth allowed Carolina to rule by his side as an equal. That’s rare. Any other marriage would have probably broken her.”

“You’re one of the people Edgar said would make the correct guess about me,” said Rose.

“Edgar is an even rarer King than his grandfather. All of his grandfather’s wisdom, and the bravery of a lion. He came to the throne not quite a man. Yet, he grew into his role. I knew he would rule well when he set Sabin free. Sabin was not suited for the throne and Edgar knew it. Carolina backed Edgar’s decision and now Edgar will repay his debt to her through you.”

“Please, Edgar said that it was very important for people not to know who I really am. Not yet. There too much...”

“Danger. He’s right. Edgar knows I will keep silent. I served as Chancellor for more than fifty years. State Secrets are safe with me,” smiled the elder Angelo. “Listen well to Edgar. He may just be the greatest King in the history of Figaro.”

South Figaro

As Rose was being talked to by Angelo’s grandfather, Terra was with the rest of her children trying to get them settled in for the night. Terra had missed Emma’s steadfastness and Rose’s boisterousness as the evening had progressed. Terra sat in a glum mood when she heard the doorbell ring. Terra wondered who on earth it could be when she went to go and answer it. 

There was an older man and woman waiting at the door.

“Excuse me, are you Ms. Branford?” asked the man.

“Yes. I am Terra Branford. You are?”

“Excuse our coming at such a late hour, Ms Branford. I am Thomas Jameson and this is my wife, Lily. We came to ask you about our nephew, Owen Jameson.”

“Oh! You are Owen’s Uncle and Aunt. He had mentioned you lived in South Figaro, but I hadn’t anticipated seeing you so soon. Won’t you come in?”

“Thank you,” said Mr Jameson. 

Terra wasn’t sure why they were there. But she was pretty certain she wouldn't like it. Still, as soon as Owen mentioned he had family in South Figaro, she knew this was a possibility.

Terra lead them to the kitchen. She quickly started to make tea and offer the meager hospitality she had. 

“Mama, who was at the door?” 

Derek walked into the kitchen and saw Terra with Mr and Mrs Jameson.

“Mr and Mrs Jameson, this is one of my older boys, Derek. Derek, this is Thomas and Lily Jameson. They are Owen’s Aunt and Uncle. Could you do me a favor and get Owen?”

Derek’s eyes widened slightly at the introduction. He and the other children knew that Owen had family in South Figaro. Like Terra, he didn’t think they would come about Owen so soon. 

Derek nodded at Terra and went to go get Owen. He took his time about it as he thought. It looked like their family was starting to scatter. It was one thing for Emma who had a real job offer that involved doing the very things she loved doing. But he didn’t know or understand why Rosie was moving in with Edgar. Now it looked like Owen might be leaving for his Aunt and Uncle. 

For almost two years all anyone in their family had was each other. They did everything from fighting to mourning together. Sure, Derek knew they left Mobliz because it would be almost impossible to keep living there. He just hadn’t anticipated that moving would break up their family.

Derek knew he probably couldn’t stall anymore. He saw Owen walking out of one of the boys’ bathrooms having bathed before Owen went to bed.

“Owen, please go see Mama in the kitchen,” Derek said quietly.

“Why? I made sure I did all my chores after dinner. I swear I haven’t been fighting...”

“No. It’s got nothing to do with any of that stuff. You Uncle and Aunt are here. They are asking to see you.”

“But I did send them a message. Let me grab my robe. Tell Mama I’ll be down in a minute.” 

Owen avoided Derek’s eyes. He knew that Derek and Emma and possibly Carrie wouldn’t like the idea of sending a message to his Aunt and Uncle without anyone knowing. Derek didn’t like the idea of the family breaking apart. The truth of the matter was if it were any more fair not to let his Aunt and Uncle know he was still alive and had just moved to Figaro. 

Derek left Owen and went back down to the kitchen. 

Terra and Mr and Mrs Jameson were talking quietly. 

“Owen just got out of the bathtub and will be downstairs as soon as he grabs his robe,” said Derek.

“Thank you, Derek. Would you mind leaving us alone for a while? We have a lot to talk about.”

Derek read the hurt in Mama Terra’s eyes. He nodded in assent but hid close to the kitchen area. 

“Derek, why are you hiding here?” came the voice of Carrie.

Derek motioned for silence. Carrie nodded and hid with Derek.

They saw Owen come back downstairs wearing his bathrobe. Owen did not appear to see both Derek and Carrie. 

“What’s this about?” whispered Carrie. 

“Owen’s Aunt and Uncle are here to talk to Mama about Owen. Apparently, Owen got a message to them that he was alive and here in South Figaro.”

“Well, I can see Owen wanting to let them know as soon as possible. I don’t like the idea that was sneaking around to send a message. That’s hurtful to both Mama and the rest of us.”

“Shh. Let’s listen for a while.”

There was some murmuring. 

“Surely, you can see our point. You have many children here. It’s no burden for us to take him home with the rest of the family,” said a male voice. 

“I can see that,” came Terra’s voice. “I’m just a little hurt that Owen did not speak to me about wanting to go and live with you.”

“I didn’t say that I wanted to leave,” said Owen. “I only sent a message that we had just moved to South Figaro and would like to visit. I never said I wanted to leave Mama Terra.”

“Come now, child. Why would you want to live among strangers when you can live with family?” said a woman’s voice. 

“But they aren’t strangers. I’ve known almost everyone here my whole life. We have lived together for just about two years. You are more of a stranger to me than anyone in this house.” 

Carrie and Derek looked at one another. It seems as if a simple request to visit was being taken advantage of.

“That is up to your elders to decide. Not you,” said the mans voice sharply.

“Then, I will have to put in my two cents,” said Terra. “If Owen seeks to move in with you, then so be it. However, I am only hearing about a visitation request. I will back whatever Owen decides.”

“I’ve never heard of such ridiculousness in my life,” said the woman. “We are his family. We have the right to take him with us.”

“Then where have you been the past two years? I understand that things have been difficult, but I know for a fact that King Edgar has made it known that there were surviving orphans in Mobliz,” said Terra. “We have had no word, not a single message from you. Not even an inquiry.”

Thomas Jameson began to sputter as his face turned red.

“Now, listen to me little girl...”

“I think we have reached the limit of this conversation. As I mentioned, I am willing to back whatever decision that Owen has made. But, it seems that all he has asked for is a visitation.”

Thomas stood up, his face was full of rage.

“DEREK!” shouted Terra. As a mother of twelve children, she knew that he would stick around.

Derek ran into the room. Carrie began to yell for another one of the older boys. They marched right in. 

The Jameson’s stood still. 

“Now. I am going to have to ask you to leave. If you wish an honest visit, please come back.”

The grim faces of the boys told Thomas Jameson that Ms Branford was serious. He nodded and along with his wife, they silently left the house.

Terra stood shaking as the door closed. That had taken quite a bit out of her. Now she needed to speak to Owen.

Terra was by the room where that awful confrontation just happened. Derek was questioning Owen.

“But, why didn’t you say anything to us? Not even to Terra?”

“I’m sorry! I had no clue that those people would barge in and try to make me leave. I just wanted to let them know I had just moved here and see if it were possible to visit,” said Owen defensively. “I don’t really know them well. My mother had said that my Aunt and Uncle moved here to try to find new business ventures. I have only ever seen them once or twice and only for a couple of days.”

“Settle down, everyone. Let’s try to talk about this calmly,” interrupted Terra.

“I’m sorry, Mama Terra,” said Owen. “I really didn’t think my simple message would get this sort of result, so quickly. I was going to talk to you when I had gotten a return message back. It’s just things have been so busy, I didn’t want to add one more worry to the pile you already had.”

“It’s alright. You had mentioned to me visiting your Aunt and Uncle before. I think we are all caught off guard with the sudden result. It doesn’t help that Emma and Rosie have left...”

‘Why did Rosie leave?” asked Derek. “I know that Emma was pretty excited at the job opportunity she had. But Rosie? I don’t understand.”

“I do,” said Carrie. “It has to do with her father’s side of the family. Remember, my father had been the Mayor of Mobliz. He sometimes had to go and make reports to Duke Matthew. Rosie was the late Duke’s niece. Her father was the Duke’s younger brother and her mother was my mother’s youngest sister. I’m pretty sure Edgar is related to her in some way on her father’s side. I do know she is my first cousin on her mother’s side.” 

Derek’s eyes became slightly confused, “Are you saying she is related to Edgar?”

Carrie nodded, “Yes.” she said simply.

“Now,” cut in Terra. “We come to the point of this discussion and why Rosie is with Edgar. You have talked and quite correctly about who Rosie’s father and Uncle were. Think a little farther. Since they are dead, Rosie is their heir. No one is to speak about that fact or the fact that Rosie is Edgar’s cousin. There are evil and dangerous people who would harm Rosie because of who she is and her birthright. That’s why Edgar is taking over her care. He can protect Rosie much better in Figaro Castle than he can here.”

“So Rosie is some sort of noble?” asked Derek.

“Rosie isn’t just some noble. She is a Duchess. I think her rank is equivalent to a Queen or Princess or something very similar. Edgar knows for sure. But, because of how highly ranked she is, there are people who would try to hurt or maybe even kill Rosie to try to claim it for themselves,” said Terra.

“Someone would try to tussle with the little Hellfire?” laughed Derek. 

“Derek, it’s not a laughing matter,” said Terra sharply. “Remember, Rosie is only four. A crossbow would force Rosie to vacate her title rather suddenly. Edgar is familiar and experienced with the kind of guardianship Rosie needs. Until Edgar is certain that Rosie is safe, she must stay with him.”

“With strangers?” asked Derek. Derek had always been fond of Rosie. Temperamental, yet she was funny, smart, and maybe most importantly loving. People had always said the Mama Terra gave people hope just by being who she was. Rosie gave people joy in a similar manner. People just liked Rosie for being who she was. The world was a little less happy, a little less joyful, when she wasn’t around. Rosie lit up the room wherever she was at. Maybe these people want to kill her light, thought Derek. 

“No. Not with strangers. Aunt Celes and Uncle Locke and Uncle Sabin and many others are here to help guard Rose,” said Terra. “Emma will help out too, when she can.”

Derek shook his head, “I dunno. It feels like someone is stealing our joy.”

“No,” said Terra firmly. “Edgar is insuring that our joy lives to spread her joy into the world. We don’t have to like it, but that is what must be done.”

Figaro Castle

Edgar had asked several of the servants if they had seen Rose after she had disappeared. One or two thought they had seen her go off in conflicting directions. When Edgar saw the Chancellor and asked him, the Chancellor laughed and said the children were having a good time being entertained by his father. With a smile the Chancellor lead them to a private study where the children where being entertained by a story of two young boys fishing at the docks of South Figaro. 

“But, I’ve never heard of a fish as big as a horse!” protested Rosie. 

“Ah, dear child, you are from Mobliz! The fish are smaller around Mobliz because the waters have always been much colder there. In South Figaro, where the waters are much warmer, huge fish are not unheard of! So there was Elias and myself, a pair of lads, with a bucket of worms. We were going to make our fathers proud by catching one of the giants of the sea. We sat out there on the docks for hours. Then suddenly, a fish began to pull on the fishing pole. It pulled hard. So hard, that the two of us couldn’t reel it in. We yanked on that pole with all of our might. Suddenly, the line snapped. We had been using so much force that when the line snapped, we should have landed in the water. We wound up landing in the harbormasters ship. We got scolded for potentially damaging his nets and ship. Still, we didn’t know it for a few years yet, but Elias really did make the Catch of the Day. He met the harbormasters daughter, who befriended the two of us. She later married Elias and the rest is Royal history. I guess you can say Elias caught the Queen of the Sea on the day we went fishing for giant fish.”

The three children applauded. So did both Edgar and the Chancellor. 

“I’ve never heard how my grandfather met my grandmother told quite that way,” said Edgar. 

Angelo the Elder laughed, “I know. It used to embarrass your father to hear that story. It’s true though. If your grandfather and myself decided to do something different on that fateful day, none of you would be here. It’s funny how it’s the little things that can change history. For your grandfather, falling into his future father in laws boat. For you, perhaps taking in a young frightened woman changed your life and history.” 

Angelo’s words were gentle, but his eyes were sharp and penetrating as he looked onto his King.

Edgar knew he could never take the retired Chancellor’s words lightly. He had served both his grandfather and his own father. Angelo retired about a year after Edgar was crowned King. Still, old and retired though he was, he still advised and offered his counsel when it was requested of him. 

“On that note, Rose and myself will have to bid you a good night,” said Edgar.

“Come anytime, little Rose. I’ll regale you with stories about your grandmother next time.”

“Thank you,” Rose dipped a curtsy to the elderly gentleman. 

“Now, Now. There is no need to be formal, little one,” smiled the elderly Angelo. 

“Come, Rose,” said Edgar, holding out his hand. Rose took Edgar hand as he lead them back to the Royal apartment.

“I see you are also making powerful allies already,” said Edgar when they were alone. 

“He said he was glad to see his goddaughter’s granddaughter still alive,” replied Rose. 

“Oh, he is. Retired he may be, he is still one of the most powerful men at Court. The Duke of South Figaro is old, but he is still sharp and cunning. He was the one who understood how vital it was for me to leave the castle and join the Returners. Most of the Royal Council thought it was an absurd idea. Being his friend is no bad thing. Seeing you, Angelo understands the need to keep you at the castle.”


	33. Papa's Rose of Figaro

They arrived at the apartment. There were two men that Rose didn’t recognize as well as a woman. Emma was also there. 

“Emma!” shouted Rose.

“Miss me already, Rosie? We just saw each other this morning!”

Rose went to Emma and gave her big sister a hug and a kiss. 

“I was asked to help out when they take your clothing and shoe measurements,” said Emma. 

“Indeed,” said Edgar. “You are going to need more than three dresses and a few skirts. This is Mrs Johnson. She is the chief resident dressmaker here in the castle. Her husband is our cobbler and will fashion shoes and slippers for you.”

Mrs Johnson was a cheerful looking woman with curly hair going silver and rosy cheeks. Mr Johnson was a small man with short brown hair. 

“First things first,” said Mrs Johnson. “Let’s look at colors and patterns of cloth. Once we have decided those, we will then take your measurements. I can have simpler dresses in a couple of days, but some of the dresses you are asking for will take a while longer, your Majesty.”

“I understand. If you can get the simpler dresses in a few days that’s fine. I just need one of the more formal dresses by next Wednesday. That’s for the banquet for the ambassador of Tzen.”

“Uncle Edgar, what about that formal dress you bought in Thamasa?”

“That’s good enough for parties, but the banquet will require something even more formal. That’s going to be a High Court function. That will also mean jewels and the whole nine yards.”

“Sit, child. Let’s look at some cloth samples. Mr. Johnson will make special molds using some plaster. He can then quickly make as many shoes as he needs to using his molds.”

“Just make sure to take off your stockings. You don’t want them ruined when I make my molds,” chipped in Mr Johnson.

Mrs Johnson began to talk about material and dress patterns as she plunked a large book of cloth samples onto Rose’s lap. Taking a good look at Rose’s red hair and fair coloring, she nixed several samples right off the bat. 

Mr Johnson kneeled at Rose’s feet and strapped them in special boots for him to make his molds. He then then poured a thick white liquid in the boots. He had her stand for a minute.

Edgar and Mrs Johnson were discussing colors. 

“Greens and blues look fantastic on her,” said Edgar. 

“To be sure, but don’t underestimate how striking purples will look, either.”

Mrs Johnson pulled out a sample and displayed it against Rose’s hair and cheek.

Edgar’s eye brows raised, “Nice, but can you get that material in time for the banquet?”

“I was thinking more for Longnight. But, let me show you this beautiful jacquard that I have a bolt of in stock.”

Another slip of material came out of the book. It was a teal green color and shimmered in the light.

Rose didn’t know the first thing about cloth and clothing, but even she had to admit the cloth was beautiful.

“Oooo,” said Rose. 

“Magnificent,” said Edgar. “And you have this cloth in stock?”

Mrs Johnson beamed. “I found this lovely cloth a few years back in Jidoor. When I saw it, I bought a whole bolt of it. I don’t show this sample to anyone. Only a redhead can display the true beauty of this cloth. When Lady Oken told me who this fitting was for, I wanted to see if Rose was the right person to use this material for. I can see now that she is.”

“You are quite well known for your cloth collection,” chuckled Edgar. 

Mr Johnson cut in, “Aye, and its taken over all our closets!”

They all got a good laugh at that. Mrs Johnson blushed as she laughed. 

Mr Johnson frowned. “Still, that cloth is too delicate for slippers. Do you have a tougher cloth in the same color for slippers?”

“I have a tougher silk that can easily be dyed to match.”

They continued to discuss dresses and colors and then shifted to ribbons and other accessories.

Rose began to drift off into sleep. 

“Rosie… Don’t fall asleep now. We still need to measure you,” came Emma’s voice. 

Rose yawned. “I’m sorry. I’m just getting tired.”

Mrs Johnson smiled sympathetically, “I understand, Rose. Mr Johnson will now take his molds off of your feet. The measurements shouldn’t take too long. Tomorrow afternoon I’ll have all the dress patterns and swatches put together for final approval before we start the dress. As far as regular dresses go, a simple pattern should be sufficient and those can be made quickly once I have your measurements.”

Rose nodded tiredly. She just wanted to go to bed. 

“Off to your bedroom, my dear. I don’t think we want all these men around as we measure you.”

Rose, Emma, and Mrs Johnson went to Rose’s bedroom. Emma helped rose undress, while Mrs Johnson circled and studied Rose’s body. When Rose was down to her underclothes, Mrs Johnson took out a tape measure and began to take Rose’s measurements. The measurements were even of Rose’s knees, calves, and wrist size. Mama had taken basic measurements of Rose several times, but she had never been so carefully measured before and mentioned that. 

“Well, this isn’t just for dresses. This is also for things such as corsets, jewelry and other accoutrements that go into a formal occasion. That way when we make the dress and look into the finishing touches we have all that we need to get them.” 

A few more minutes and more measurements later Mrs Johnson said, “There! That should do it. I shall have more casual dresses and clothing finished in a couple of days. Tomorrow I shall have a pattern and all my swatches together for final approval.”

Rose nodded and put on her nightgown and dressing gown. 

Mrs Johnson frowned. “I shall also have new nighties and a new dressing gown ready by tomorrow morning. The ones you have are all worn and aren’t good for much anymore besides rags.

Rose was numb with tiredness. She just wanted the other woman gone so she could sleep.

Mrs Johnson left Rose and Emma. 

“Emma could you tell me a story?”

“I have to go to bed myself, Rose. The kitchen starts early.’

“Can I at least get a hug?”

Emma smiled and gave Rose a hug and a kiss as she tucked Rose in to sleep.

Rose clutched Lina to her as she drifted to sleep.

Emma turned off the lights as Rose fell asleep.

“Is she asleep?” asked Edgar as Emma walked out of the bedroom.

Emma smiled and nodded “Almost.”

“Good. Listen, Emma, thank you for helping with Rose.’

“It’s the least I could do.”

Edgar nodded formally at Emma, “Good night.”

Emma smiled and replied, “Good night” as she left the Royal apartment.

As Rose fell deeper into sleep she began to dream.

“I don’t like the idea of you leaving, Chris,” said a woman’s voice. She was being held by this voice. Rose had a vague memory of it being Mama.

“I know, Jude. I don’t like it either,” said a deep masculine voice. Rose remembered it better. It was her Papa.

“Then why are you going?”

“Because no matter how much I don’t like it, I still have responsibilities to Matthew. To the Veldt. To the people who live here. You should know, Judith. Your own sister is married to the mayor of Mobliz.”

“Well, she married him. I married you.”

“Yeah. When you married me you also married an Earl, whose brother happens to be the Duke. At least Charles had some choice in becoming Mayor. I didn’t and don’t have that choice.”

“So if your brother is the Duke, why are you siding with a rebel faction?”

“Because the Veldt is falling apart! Matthew has been unable to find a diplomatic solution to Gestahl, nor has he been able to find a way to rid us of all those Imperial troops just inside the Veldt itself! If he is unwilling to take responsibility, then I will. The rebel faction I have been working with don’t want an all out war with Matthew. They just want someone to be responsible, for once.”

“You never wanted those responsibilities.”

“I still don’t. Still, if I don’t take responsibility, who will? Markus DeMille? He would crush the Veldt under his boot and then sell the scraps to the Empire. Edgar? He is a good King and would rule the Veldt well, but he has enough on his plate with Figaro. Besides, he would feel the same that I do that I would be betraying the memory of my parents by turning my back from the Veldt. Figaro and the Veldt have had a strong alliance for more than fifty years, an alliance of friendship and blood. That alliance is fraying because of Matthew. We need that alliance badly to survive the Empire.”

Mama went silent.

“It’ll be alright, Jude. I’ll be back in a couple of days with some plans and ideas.”

“Kiss Rose before you go,” said Mama.

Rose felt herself being picked up and being held in the air. The man holding her had a reddish blond beard and his head was as red as hers. Green eyes smiled as he held her.

He then gave her a lingering but scratchy kiss. Rose yanked on his beard and giggled.

“Love you, Papa,” she said. 

“I love you too, my little Rose of Figaro.” he murmured. He kissed her forehead and then handed her to Mama.

“Why do you call her that?” said Mama.

“She has those Figaro blue eyes of my mother and my cousins,” said Papa. “Rose was born to rule one day, mark my words. In the Figaro family, blue eyes are a sign of royalty.”

“Your eyes aren’t blue.”

“No, they are not. Perhaps we can make Matthew see sense.”

Rose felt herself being handed back to Mama. Papa kissed Mama. 

“See you in a couple days,” he said. 

The dream shifted as Rose slept on.

Papa was speaking to her. His voice was choked with tears. 

“Hopefully, we will be safe down here,” Papa murmured to her.

“Papa, where’s Mama?”

“Mama’s gone to heaven.”

“When will Mama come home?”

Papa clutched her tightly she felt warm water drip into her hair as he struggled to speak, “She can’t come home. When you go to heaven, it’s forever. We will only get to see her when it’s our turn to go to heaven.”

She looked directly in Papa’s eyes. She then crumpled into her father’s arms and began to cry. She felt more of his tears as he held her and began to rock her in his arms. She didn’t know when she fell asleep only that he was still holding her when she woke up the next morning.

The earth was shaking when she woke up. Papa was holding her and covering her as the earth shook. It sounded as if the very rocks were screaming as they sat there. It stopped after what seemed forever.

“I pray that the beams will hold up,” he said to himself. Papa shook his head. “We can’t stay here. Go and rest while you can on the cot.”

Rose lay down on the makeshift cot, but she couldn’t sleep. She watched as her father sat at a desk and used a scratchy feather and wrote in a book and later on some loose paper.

“Papa, what are these things?”

“Oh. I have used the basement as a private study for a while. Mostly writing letters but also writing in my diary. Diaries are a good way to keep track of things happening daily. Right now, I’m keeping track of the earthquakes and aftershocks.” 

She got out of the cot, “Earth-quake?”

“Those are what are making the ground shake and groan. Something terrible must have happened. Something unthinkable to make the ground shake so badly.”

Her stomach growled. Papa suddenly laughed. “Are you hungry?”

She nodded at Papa.

“I think there are some canned vegetables Beth gave us when she harvested her gardens. Let me go and check.”

Papa came back with some jars. 

“Pickled beets and tomatoes. I even found some pickled ham. Stay right here Rose, let me see if I can get a pot to cook in.”

Papa came back with a pot and a large glass jug full of water. “Things are bad. We can only stay a few more days before we should try to go further inland. Damn I forget we need firewood and some plates and cups.”

Papa went up and down two more times. After he brought plates and cups, he brought blankets, after the blankets he brought enough firewood for a small cook fire. He made a meal using the pickled ham and vegetables. Satisfied, he went back to his desk. 

Rose was feeling emboldened as she saw something gleaming in a corner.

“Papa, what’s this?

“Oh. That was your grandmother’s. She was a Knight and that was her shield.” Papa smiled at Rose. “Take a look. I named you after the flowers on that shield. I named you Rose after the Roses of Figaro on there. Your grandmother would be so proud to know I named you after the Rose of Figaro.” Papa sighed and returned to his writing.

Rose smiled looking at the roses on the shield. They were pretty. The thorns of swords fit the shield. 

“Papa, what are you doing?”

“I’m writing to my cousin, Edgar. We can’t stay here. Edgar is the King of Figaro and can send us the help we need quickly, not just for us, but for the surviving villagers.”

Edgar sat up in his bed. He thought he heard sounds coming from Rose’s room again. At first, he thought he heard crying. Now, he heard mumbling. He got out of bed and put on his dressing gown. It may well be that Rose was starting to have one of her night terrors.

Rose was still dreaming. There were sounds coming from the earth again.

Papa’s head turned sharply towards the sounds.

“Rose! Hide underneath the desk! NOW!!

Rose ran and did as her father told her. The earth began to shake again. This time the screaming ground stole all other sound. She saw her Papa try to cover his head futilely as the bricks fell on top of his head.

“PAPA!!! PAAAAPPPPPAAAAA!!!!! she screamed at the top of her lungs.

Edgar ran as he heard Rose begin to scream for her father. 

His eyes filled with tears as he saw Rose’s face twisted in terrified horror. She was still screaming for her Papa. 

Edgar ran to the bed and picked up the terrified child. She fought him as he tried to wake her up. 

“ROSE!! IT’S ME! IT’S EDGAR!! WAKE UP!!!”

“PAPA!!”

“ROSE!! WAKE UP!! IT’S EDGAR AND YOU ARE SAFE!! YOU ARE SAFE, ROSIE!!!” Edgar began to try to shout over Rose. 

“SAFE??” Rose quit struggling. 

“Yes, Rosie. It’s Edgar and you are safe.”

The terror left Rose’s eyes and she blinked slowly at Edgar in confusion. Now that she could see Edgar and not her father, she began to cry in earnest. Edgar took her to the sitting room. He sat with her in a chair and began to rock her. Rose cried in grief at the memory and Edgar cried for her pain. Rose was still shaking in fear.

Sabin ran in half dressed. He looked at his brother as Edgar rocked Rosie in his arms with tears in his eyes.

“Is she alright?”

“As well as she can be. I thought my nightmares were bad, but they are not as bad as seeing your father being crushed by falling bricks in front of your eyes.”

“No wonder she has terrors.”

Other people began to fill the room. 

“Your Majesty! What’s going on?” came the questions. Edgar shook his head at the people filing into the room. 

“Leave,” Edgar commanded. “Just leave the three of us. Rose had a nightmare, that’s all. These kind she doesn’t get too often, but she needs calm after them.”

Only the high priestess remained. 

“Does she need anything? A sleeping potion, perhaps?”

“I don’t like the idea of drugging her to sleep,” said Edgar, shaking his head. “Let’s let her calm down on her own, then perhaps something that will keep her calm so she can sleep.”

“Some chamomile tea, perhaps?”

Edgar nodded. Kayla got up and went to make some. It would at least keep Kayla busy.

The next several minutes were quiet. Rose stopped trembling in terror. 

“Settling down, Rosie?” Edgar asked gently. 

“I’m sorry,” she said in a tiny voice.

“Don’t be. I knew this would happen sooner or later. You can’t help it. I can’t help it when my dreams turn ugly either,” Edgar tone was soothing.

“Can I have my doll?”

Sabin, grateful for something to help Rose settle down, swiftly got up. “I’ll go get her.”

A minute later Sabin returned with Lina. “You know, I just realized Lina is another red head.” He was smiling.

“Sometimes, I dream that Papa is telling me that she is modeled after my grandmother. A gift from my Uncle.”

“Lina, short for Carolina. She suits you. In a way, your grandmother is always with you,” said Sabin as he handed Lina to Rose.


	34. Learning to Fall

“I wonder how Caro would handle these terrors,” said Edgar softly.

“Exactly how you are, right now, Edgar. Any mother would tell you that. Hang on, try to keep calm, and don’t blame the poor child,” cut in Kayla who returned with a small pot of tea. 

“Want to try some tea?” asked Edgar. 

Rose rubbed her eyes and shook her head. If she tried to drink right now, she would throw up.

“Do you want me to take over, your Majesty? I know you have that Royal Council meeting in the morning.”

Edgar knew he would be dog tired if he didn’t get some sleep soon. Still, he felt it would be premature to leave Rose. She was just calming down. If he tried to put her to bed right now there was no guarantee that she was calm enough to sleep through the night. 

“No. I’ll be alright. I don’t want to force Rosie back into a cold and unfamiliar room so soon after such a horrible dream.”

Rosie began to start relaxing. Part of what always kept her awake was being forced back to bed so soon after her night terrors. She was never permitted to completely calm down. After a while Kayla left them after it was clear that Rose was calming back down.

Before long, Rose was feeling better.

“Ready for some tea, now?” asked Edgar.

“Yes, please.” 

“Some simple tea. It will help you relax.”

Sabin poured the tea and Edgar let go of Rose to let her drink. The tea was still warm, but Rose didn’t like the way it tasted.

Rose made a face. “It tastes like boiled flowers.” she said. 

Edgar and Sabin laughed. “We’ll try not to let Kayla know that. She’s a big believer in herbal tea.”

“I’d like to try to lie back down,” said Rose.

“Are you sure? You don’t have to lie down, if you don’t feel like you are ready.” Edgar was watching Rose closely. He wasn’t convinced that Rose was ready to lie down. She had mentioned that she can’t sleep when her terrors got to her.

“I don’t want to keep you up.”

“It’s more important to me that you are alright and that you feel safe here. It would not be the first or the last time I have sat with the Royal Council dead tired.”

“I’m fine.”

Rose could tell by the close way Edgar was looking at her that he didn’t believe her. But she didn’t want to trouble him any further. She already knew she would not be able to sleep after that… terror. 

Edgar sighed, “If you insist, I will let you go and lie down again. Don’t hesitate to tell either myself or Sabin if you begin to feel afraid again.”

“I won’t,” Rose said very softly. 

Edgar watch Rose get up and go back to bed. 

“You know she won’t sleep after that, don’t you?” said Sabin. 

“I do know that. Rose is trying to be chivalrous in her own way. She doesn't want to keep us up either.”

“I don’t think I could after hearing Rose scream like a banshee for her father. It made my hairs stand straight up. As bad as Dad’s death was, it was relatively peaceful next to Chris’s”

“Yes,” was all Edgar said. He rubbed his eyes tiredly. 

“You should rest. I can stay awake and listen for any signs of Rosie getting another night terror.”

“Are you sure? I don’t want you to feel like...”

Sabin waved his hand at Edgar. “Go to sleep. You still have to be King in the morning. All I have to be is myself.”

“Thank you,” was all Edgar said. He was once again grateful that he had his brother back in his life. It was little things like this that made Edgar so grateful.

Rose went back to the bedroom. There was one other person waiting for her. 

It was Mog.

“Come, Flower. Lie down again.”

Rose went to lie down and Mog lay down with her.

“I know it hurts, Flower. The Thorns of Destiny are painful when we remember them.”

“Destiny?”

“How your life is meant to turn out. The Thorns are what changes our lives to bend its path. For Edgar, it was his father being poisoned. For you, it was an earthquake collapsing a roof. Those events triggered what would become your lives.”

“It hurts.”

“Yes. It does. For you the real question is do you embrace this new life or do you run from it? Know that running will not help you. If you choose to run you might find yourself dead. If you embrace it, then you will learn how to ride a tiger.”

“I already know that I don’t have a real choice. Edgar had been trying to prepare me for this.”

“Edgar is far wiser than his years. His grandfather would be proud.”

Mog looked closely at Rose. “So, Kupo, are you ready for a story? It’ll help you relax and pass the time.”

If Rose hadn’t seen him spear fight she would have once again thought of him as a cute stuffed toy. Maybe that was his best defense.

“I’d like that.”

An hour later, Sabin went to check on Rose. He was surprised to find her dead asleep in Mog’s arms.

“What did you do to get her to sleep,” Sabin asked. 

“I used a deep faerie magic called telling her stories and holding her,” replied Mog tartly.

Sabin wasn’t the smartest man in the world, but he could tell Mog wasn’t being entirely truthful.

“She woke up screaming in terror and it’s that simple?” he asked skeptically.

“Well,” said Mog. “I used a tiny bit of faerie magic to let her sleep dreamlessly. I did tell her stories, though. It distracted her.” 

“What now?” asked Sabin.

“Let her sleep. You go and do the same. I’m here to guard her.” was all Mog said.

When Rose woke up, it was still dark out. As far as she could tell no one else was up yet. Mog had fallen asleep in a chair guarding the door. Rose quickly grabbed her clothes and got dressed in the bathroom. She slipped out of the bedroom and into the sitting room. 

She was surprised that Edgar was already awake and dressed with three other people arguing with him. 

“Your Majesty, the child can’t stay here if she is going to scream like that every night!” 

“You forget yourself, Councilor,” replied Edgar coldly. “I have my reasons for her staying with me and that is all you need to know at this time. I don’t need or require the Royal Council’s approval to keep a personal guest.”

“I am more shocked that the Chancellor is allowing you to keep your bastard here!” the man howled. 

An even colder voice cut in, “That’s because I know for a fact that the child is not a bastard of Edgar’s. I can tell you that she is a highly ranked noble who has been orphaned and that is all I will tell you. If you can’t handle a rare nightmare, then leave the Castle. Go back to your homes and await a summons from the King.”

The Chancellor’s voice was final. He would tolerate no further argument. When both the King and the Chancellor were in full agreement, the decision was final.

Rose stood still. She didn’t want to be seen or heard. The men grumbled but then left the room. 

“You can come out of where you’re hiding from, Rose,” called Edgar.

Rose didn’t say a thing and went out to the main room.

Edgar was smiling gently at Rose. So was the Chancellor.

“Ignore people like that Rose. They are angry that they were inconvenienced last night.”

“Maybe I should stay...”

“No.” Edgar’s voice was firm. “People like that are everywhere. Sabin will be here soon. He will want you to practice meditation before anything else.”

“Does your morning always start this way?”

Edgar chuckled, “Yes. Mostly at this hour it’s letters and dispatches. Other times it’s about real emergencies. Rarely it’s about imagined wrongs.”

Sabin walked in. He nodded approvingly at Rose. “Ready? Let’s go to an empty room where we can practice meditation.”

“Kayla said you can use the refectory at the Sisterhood chapel,” said the Chancellor. We talked about it after she left the three of you.”

“That’s a good place. It will be as quiet and peaceful as we need.” 

Sabin then lead Rose down several corridors leading to a door with a stained glass moon in the center. Sabin quietly entered the room and lead Rose further into a candlelight room with a large window where moonlight streamed in. There was a faint smell of incense that permeated the whole room.

“The Sisterhood uses this refectory as a place of prayer and meditation. If at anytime you just need a quiet place to think this is a good place for it. As a kid I would come and hide when I wanted to get away from the constant courtiers. As I started studying with Duncan, I came to practice my meditation. Since most of the chapel is used primarily at sunset or midnight, at this hour no one will disturb us” Sabin whispered.

Rose sat and breathed in the scent of incense. Just the smell was calming.

“Okay Rose, lie down and get comfortable. Until you are used to meditating I will guide you on how it’s done. In time you will no longer need instruction on how it is done.”

Rose lay down on the floor. The carpet was surprisingly thick. It didn’t take long for Rose to become comfortable.

“Now we will measure our breathing. Inhale on my count of three. Ready?”

“Yes,” was all Rose said. 

“Inhale. 1-2-3. Exhale 1-2-3...”

A half an hour later. Duncan, Holly, and Kayla found them still meditating. They both wore and expression of deep calm and stillness. 

“Now, open your eyes,” instructed Sabin. “Take a deep breath. It is now time to rejoin the greater world as we have contemplated the inner world. Sit up slowly and breathe again. Stretch your arms and your head and neck.”

Rose slowly sat up and breathed as she began to stretch. She felt as she rejoined the world that a part of that deep calmness clung to her.

Sabin examined her closely. “Feels good, doesn’t it? Mental discipline like this will help you control your temper better. It will also help you with the night terrors. This will help you calm down after you have them and go back to sleep.”

“Mog told me stories until I fell back asleep.”

“Stories are nice, but wouldn’t it be even better if you no longer woke up screaming at night?”

“Yes. But they do help me remember my Papa and Mama.”

“Here is a bonus to meditation, it will help your memory. You might find your memories of your parents are better than ever. You could remember the good instead of only the bad.” 

Rose nodded silently at Sabin. He was probably right.

The three of them went back to the practice room. Holly spoke first. 

“The first and probably the most important thing we are going to teach you is how to fall. Learning how to fall properly will reduce the chance for injury as we work on your self defense skills.”

“There’s a wrong way to fall? I thought that it’s just something that happens.” said Rose. 

Both Duncan and Sabin laughed. “Yes, child there is a wrong way to fall. Most fall injuries are because people fall incorrectly,” said Duncan. “The majority of concussions and broken limbs from a fall are made because too much force is placed on one particular area of the body. Falling correctly minimizes the impact of a fall and spreads the force evenly, eliminating or reducing the chance for an injury. The only acceptable broken limb during a correct fall is a crushed elbow. That happens when you are protecting your head from an unusually high fall. The elbow will heal, but you can easily die from a head injury like that.”

Rose nodded soberly. 

“So. Let’s begin...” started Sabin. 

An hour later, Rose felt she had never fallen so many times in her life. After they demonstrated and performed the falls themselves, both Holly and Sabin instructed Rose on the falling techniques. Rose practiced each fall for the next half hour. In the end they told Rose that the next day would be spend ingraining the falls so she would learn to react without thinking about it. 

Sabin then escorted Rose back to the Royal Apartment where breakfast had just arrived. 

Edgar smiled at Rose disheveled appearance. 

“Come,” he said. “Let’s eat. You’ll feel better after a good meal.”

Rose sat as a servant placed a plate in front of her and served breakfast.

Edgar’s eyebrows went up at Rose’s silence. “So, what did you learn?”

“I learned that there are wrong ways to fall.”

“That’s a pretty important lesson.”

“I have never fallen so many times in my life,” grumbled Rose. 

“I know it’s new to you, Rosie,” said Sabin. “But learning to fall is all about safety. The more we teach you, the more you will be thrown around the practice ring. Falling correctly will keep you from getting hurt as well as speed your reaction to an opponent.”

“I felt so... clumsy.”

“You’re not clumsy, and you are doing just fine. No one expects you to get things perfect the first time.”

Edgar decided to change the subject.

“So, Rose. Do we get to scandalize the Court by you laughing at my crown again?”

Rose stared at Edgar. His eyes were impish. He seemed to know that she needed to laugh. Especially after the previous night. 

Rose started to chuckle in spite of herself. 

“That’s better,” was all Edgar said. 

After that the mood lightened and they talked and joked around as they ate.


	35. Sick

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sick Writer.

Sorry folks for no chapter this week. Been sick with sinus infection and have had no energy to post next chapter. Be Back on Saturday as usual.


	36. Crooked Crown

They had just finished when Lady Oken and a man carrying a locked metal box arrived. There were also two other men who joined them.

Edgar sighed, “It’s time to get ready for the day.”

Sabin said, “I’ll stick around and take Rosie to class.”

“I am not in such a hurry that I will miss my dose of humility,” said Edgar.

“Your, Majesty, please. We don’t have much time,” said one of the other men.

Edgar made a face, “I’m also not in such a hurry that I cannot wish my charge a good day. The Council can wait a few minutes.”

Edgar turned to face Rose, “Now, we need to get ready for the day. Stay until I am finished. I want to escort you to class myself.”

“Alright,” was all Rose said. 

Lady Oken promptly took charge and began to usher Rose to her room to get ready. 

Rose frowned to herself. 

“Is there something wrong, my Lady?”

“Who were those men with you?”

“The one with the metal box is the Royal Jeweler. He is in charge of the Crown Jewels among other things. The two other men were Edgar’s man servants. They serve Edgar in the same fashion that I serve you.”

Lauren got the bath ready. 

“Quickly, Rose. We don’t have much time.”

Rose started to undress herself, when Lauren suddenly ran to Rose and started to help her.

“Please, I can undress myself. I can’t stop you from dressing me, but for simple things like this I want to undress myself.”

Lauren sighed. This was at least a compromise. “Very well.”

Rose smiled at Lauren and quickly undressed and got into the bathtub. It was a start.

“I heard from the dressmaker that she will have new shifts and a dressing gown ready later on.”

“I think so. I was too tired to pay much attention last night,” said Rose. She began to wash herself. 

“I’ll be here when you are finished with school.”

“You don’t have to bother. I can find a way to entertain myself.”

Lauren frowned. “I think Mrs Johnson will be fitting you for some dresses afterwards.”

“Again?” sighed Rose. She really wanted a little time to herself. 

“It won’t take long. Just making sure her measurements and seams are flawless.”

“Will I ever have anytime to myself?”

“Just give things a couple of days to settle down. You’ll find you will be given more time to yourself after you have settled in.”

“Alright,” Rose grumped. 

Rose quickly finished her bath and washed her hair. Lauren insisted on getting Rose into her shift and underpants before they started to comb out her hair. Lauren added a few drops of sweet almond oil as she combed out Rose’s hair. 

“You’re lucky. Here in the desert Your hair will dry quickly. We use the almond oil to keep the desert dryness from drying it out too much.” 

Lauren then proceeded to braid Rose’s hair. Afterwards Lauren dressed Rose in her green dress and stockings as Rose fidgeted. 

“I have some cosmetics to hide that nasty black eye.”

Lauren then applied a couple of creams and powders to Rose’s face.

Rose looked into the mirror. Her face was made to look like pure cream with rouged cheeks. Rose began to purse her lips together. She didn’t want to hurt Lauren’s feelings by openly laughing.

“There! You are ready for the day.”

Rose reached down and proceeded to put on her own shoes. “Thank you.” she said simply. She then walked out into the sitting room. 

The man Lauren said was the Royal Jeweler was fussing over Edgar. He seemed to be adjusting Edgar’s crown. 

Rose almost choked on her laughter. It was still too funny to see Edgar wear his crown. 

“Let it out, Rose. It will bring a much needed change in your mood after last night,” said Edgar. 

Lauren looked aghast when Rose started to giggle and laugh at the sight of Edgar wearing his crown again. Edgar’s sharp eyes were on Rose as she laughed. It was infectious and he also started to laugh. 

“Edgar, please! I’m trying to make the crown straight! You’ll look absolutely ridiculous if you walked around with a crooked crown!”

The thought of Edgar wearing his crown crooked floored Rose. She started to laugh harder. Her eyes teared up. 

“My lady, The cosmetics will smear!” said Lauren.

Edgar started to laugh harder. Rose and Edgar looked at each other. His crown was crooked and her makeup was smearing. He sat up and gestured for Rose. Rose sat in his lap and they hugged at their appearances.

Sabin had not left the Royal Apartment after breakfast. He smiled at Edgar and Rose as they shared a special friendship, a special love for each other. It was a love that very few people could ever appreciate. It was a love based on complete understanding of each other. Neither would ever be able to escape what they were born to be. Yet they knew that underneath all the crowns, all the cosmetics, all the trappings of royal life that Edgar was just Edgar and that Rose was just Rose. 

Edgar slowly put Rose down. Lauren quickly went to fix Rose’s makeup and the Jeweler quickly adjusted Edgar’s crown. 

“Are we finished?” asked Edgar. 

“Yes, your Majesty.” 

Edgar stood up. He picked up his sceptre from a cushion in front of him. 

“Shall we, Rose?” Edgar held out his hand to Rose.

Edgar and Rose chatted as the people of Figaro castle stopped and bowed to Edgar as they walked in the hallways. Rose was pretty sure if she wasn’t wearing such heavy makeup, that she would have been blushing a bright red. 

Finally they stopped at Rose’s classroom. Angelo and Lizzie were there, but the rest of the children had yet to arrive. 

Kayla was frowning at the heavy cosmetics that had been applied to Rose’s face. 

“I won’t see you at lunch today, Rose. The Council will be going on until this afternoon. Lauren and Mrs Johnson will meet you in the Royal apartment to fit dresses. The Council should be finished by the time your fittings are finished. After that we will eat privately since we have to move the castle to the deserts around Kohlingen,” said Edgar.

“I’ll see you then,” said Rose. 

Edgar and Rose briefly hugged and Rose went to her classroom as Edgar went to his Council meeting.

“Well, Rose. Ready for class?” asked Kayla.

“Yes.” said Rose.

“Whoever put such heavy cosmetics on you? Those are better suited for adults on a formal occasion than school.”

“That lady in waiting Edgar has there for me. I think I would prefer people staring at the bruise than this makeup.”

Kayla rolled her eyes, “I have a much lighter one that will just about hide that bruise. It’ll look a lot better than that heavy stuff. Wait here, I’ll grab what we need and you can wash that awful stuff off.”

Kayla briskly left to gather what she wanted. 

“What happened last night Rose? You woke up the whole castle.” said Lizzie.

“I had one of my nightmares,” was all Rose said. 

“I figured as much,” said Angelo. “My father said that people who have nightmares like that have seen terrible things in their past.”

Rose just nodded. She really didn’t want to talk about her nightmares.

Lizzie persisted, “What kind of things can make you scream like that?”

“I would drop it, Lizzie. I can tell that Rose doesn’t like to talk about it,” cut in Angelo. He already knew. Rose had told him that she dreamed of her parents bad deaths. By her screams last night, he would never want to know just how bad that had been.

“Yes. Please,” cut in Kayla who had returned with a pitcher, washbowl and something else inside the bowl.

Inside the bowl was a small bar of plain soap. Kayla filled the bowl with water from the pitcher and having dipped the washcloth in the water and lathering up some soap began to wash Rose’s face gently. 

Satisfied the makeup had been removed she pulled a small jar from one pocket and gently dabbed it around Rose’s black eye.

“Much better,” she said and pulled out a small mirror from the other pocket. 

The new cosmetic was just a shade darker than Rose’s natural skin and didn't completely camouflage the bruise. Still it looked a lot better than the heavy makeup than Lauren put on her. 

Rose nodded, “Much better. I look like myself.”

There was a shout, “Rose! What happened last night?” Other children began to enter the room. 

Kayla was brusque, “Rose had a nightmare. That is all we need to discuss about it.”

“Now. Everyone. Let’s begin...”


	37. The Golden Ocean

Class had been a mix of paperwork and structured play. When it was over, Kayla said she would take Rose back to the Royal Apartment. 

Mama was there chatting with Mrs Johnson about dresses and colors. She had a wine colored swatch held up to Terra in a mirror. 

“It’s a beautiful color,” said Terra, “But it’s much too formal for me to have at my home.”

“Well, Longnight is coming up in a couple of months. I’m sure his Majesty will want you to come to the Ball. I can make this dress for you for Longnight.” persisted Mrs Johnson.

Terra looked in the mirror. It really was beautiful. Besides, it would be nice to have a beautiful dress just for herself.

Terra smiled at Mrs Johnson, “Alright. I’ll buy the dress. Even if I don’t go to the ball, I can use it for a wedding or something.”

“Who’s getting married?” cut in Edgar’s voice. 

“Well, it’s an idea that I’m thinking about. Duane was telling me he was having a hard time finding work because, technically, him and Katarin aren’t married in a legal sense. I was thinking maybe we should have a wedding for them. A couple of prospective employers turned him down because of that technicality.”

“Did you want a big wedding or just a small private ceremony?” asked Edgar.

“Nothing major, just the family. But I would like everyone to be dressed nicely for it.”

Edgar smiled ruefully, “I had forgotten that Duane and Katarin didn’t really have anyone to actually marry them. Still, have you talked to them about getting officially married?”

“Not yet,” said Terra. “Katarin has been busy with either the baby or trying to build up Duane’s confidence. I didn’t want to add to their burdens with a prospective wedding.”

“You should talk to them. Find out how they feel about getting officially married. If needed we can backdate the marriage certificate.”

Rose looked at Mama, “Why are you here?’

“I need some advice. It’s funny, since I got here I also heard a rumor about you having one of your nightmares,” said Terra.

“What sort of advice?” asked Edgar. 

“Well, let me begin...”

“Your Majesty, can I steal Rose for her fittings?” interrupted Mrs Johnson.

Edgar waved his hand at Rose and Mrs Johnson and they left for Rose’s bedroom. Edgar focused on Terra as she went into her problem about Owen and his relatives. 

Mrs Johnson had several fairly plain dresses ready for Rose to try out for a final fitting. There were also linen shifts and nightgowns as well as a nice dressing gown ready for Rose to to try. 

Rose was surprised by how many things were ready for fitting and said so. 

“Oh. I keep most basic sizes and cloths in stock. When I get measurements I can quickly get things ready for a fitting. Final fittings are to be sure you can move and are fairly comfortable. I have workers who will put the finishing touches tonight and tomorrow morning. This time tomorrow all those dresses will be ready for you to use. Nightgowns and shifts are easy to hem since they go underneath everything. Formal dresses take longer depending on how elaborate they are. I have a pattern and my swatches ready for his Majesty’s approval. It will take me and my staff four days to put the basics together and two more fittings for that dress to be ready. We will be working hard to get it ready in a week.”

After Mrs Johnson got Rose cornered for her fittings, Edgar turned to Terra.

“What’s going on Terra? I hadn’t expected to see you until tomorrow.”

Terra reached into her pocket and pulled out a sheaf of papers. 

“I don’t know who else I can ask about this kind of thing,” she said as she handed the papers over to Edgar.

Edgar quickly took the papers and read them with a frown. “I have a question. How did they find out that Owen was in South Figaro?”

Terra quickly told Edgar about Owen sending a note requesting a visit to his aunt and uncle and the awful scene in her house the night before. 

Edgar’s frown deepened. “Still, this is moving extremely fast for a custody hearing. These matters usually take at least two months to even be seen by a judge. That allows matters such as this time to be properly investigated.” Edgar reached for a bell pull. 

“Yes, your Majesty?” asked the servant with a bow.

“I need the Chancellor as well as the Chief Magistrate, please.” commanded Edgar. 

The Chief Magistrate and the Chancellor were both frowning an hour later. 

“This is disturbing, but there is very little we can do right now, with the court date set for five days.” said the magistrate. “I suggest you get a lawyer as soon as possible to start delaying this custody hearing. I’m warning you, the initial request will probably be denied. But, after that, you can appeal to a higher court. That will certainly delay this custody hearing, until the matter is heard by a higher court judge. As is, a higher court judge will probably want an investigation into this case. I think the Jameson’s might be trying to take advantage of your unfamiliarity of our court system. The timing is much too quick, that screams of possible bribery.”

“I know some good family court lawyers, Ms Branford,” said the Chancellor. “They will have a field day after seeing this.”

There was a knock on the door.

“Your Majesty, the chief engineer states he is ready to go to Kohlingen whenever you are.”

Edgar’s eyes winced. Damn it, I need to get that diplomatic party to Kohlingen, he thought.

“Tell the Engineer and the diplomats we need to wait an hour or so. We are trying to deal with a small emergency before we go,” stated Edgar. 

“I can take Terra back to the city, Edgar. We can go talk to lawyers in a matter of hours if I am there,” said the Chancellor. 

“I have a question, why can’t you just deny the hearing and send them all home?” asked Terra.

“Because I’m a King, not a tyrant. As time marched on here, and in most Kingdoms, laws have been enacted that put certain limits on what I can do as a King,” explained Edgar.

“Things such as custody hearings have a chain of events they must go through before I hear them. It starts with a local court. Most legal cases are resolved in a local court. If that isn’t enough, or if it does not settle the issue, the case gets appealed from a local court to a district court. They only handle cases that are considered controversial or if one side of a legal argument feels that they were not treated fairly by a local court. If this does not settle a legal case then it is appealed to the High Court. The High Court is the final court. As King, I do sit in on cases being heard by the High Court. The Court itself is a panel of six Judges, who have elected a Chief Magistrate to Speak on their behalf. If they are deadlocked, my vote as King settles the matter once and for all.”

Terra sighed and nodded.

“It’ll be alright, Ms Branford,” said the Magistrate. “A good lawyer will help get all of these things straightened out.”

The door to Rose’s room opened. “Thank you, Mrs Johnson. For everything.”

Mrs Johnson smiled at Rose, “Your welcome, child. It’s nice to work with someone who is not a spoiled brat, for once.”

The room was dead silent. Rose looked behind her to see what was wrong to make the room so quiet. She frowned. 

“What’s wrong?”

“It’s a personal matter for your Mama, Rosie.” explained Edgar. “Do me a favor and go look for Angelo. I’m sorry, Rose, but this is private to your Mama.”

“He should be over by the Royal Gallery,” said the Chancellor with a smile. 

Rose looked at the adult faces and just nodded. She left the Royal Apartment quietly and began to wander the hallways. She had no idea where the Royal Gallery was. She kept to herself and wandered the hallways with only her thoughts. 

“Rose!” called out a voice.

It was Angelo the Elder.

“What are you doing wandering the hallways alone? It’s unlike Edgar to leave you alone like this.”

“Something has gone wrong with Mama and she needed to talk to Edgar. Edgar said it was a private matter and that I should look for Angelo in the Royal Gallery. I just don’t know where it is, though.”

“Just as well that one of the Angelo’s found you. Since Edgar is busy, why don’t we keep each other company. I believe I promised a story about your grandmother last night.”

Rose smiled at the elderly man. “I’d like that. But, can I ask a question first?”

“You may.”

“What is the Rose of Figaro? One of my few memories of my Papa is him explaining to my mother that I am named after the Rose of Figaro. He said my grandmother would be proud he named me after the Rose.”

“You know something? Now we need to go to the Royal Gallery. I can explain about the Rose and your grandmother better if you could see her portrait. It was made when Carolina was eighteen and had just been made a Knight. She was the first woman ever to be made a Knight. The Rose of Figaro is pretty central to Carolina’s story.”

“Wow,” said Rose. It had been a couple of hours since the elderly Angelo found Rose wandering the halls of Figaro Castle. She was looking rather closely at the portrait Angelo had shown her of Carolina Figaro. Rose saw a young woman with hair as red as her own with sparkling blue eyes and a mischievous smile. 

The shield she carried caught Rose’s eye. It was the same shield that she remembered her father explaining to her. Angelo also explained what the Rose was and why it suited Carolina so well. 

Angelo chuckled at Rose. “So you can see why it would have made your Grandmother proud that you are named after the Rose.”

“Did they really call her the Swordlady?” Rose asked.

“Yes. Carolina was best swordsman hands down, male or female. When Edgar and Sabin where children, they would go to the Veldt and visit their Aunt in the summer. Carolina taught Edgar as much as she could. She even showed him some of her best spear fighting techniques. If only Caro could see Edgar now. She would so proud of the man and King he grew up to be. You would have been the daughter she had always wanted, but was never blessed with.”

“What kind of person was my grandfather?”

“Kenneth? He was a kind and intelligent man who knew just what to do to manage your grandmother’s temper. They had met not long after Caro was knighted. As part of the treaty we had with Kenneth’s father at the time, young knights were taken on guided hunts in the Veldt as a way to both have some fun while getting a little seasoning on green knights. When Carolina was knighted, she was sent with all the other green knights out to Hunt.”

“Elias had told the Duke that his daughter was there, but Carolina never formally used her title for that hunt. Her guide also never gave his formal rank and title simply his name of Kenneth DuBose. Kenneth had been skeptical about the female knight, but quickly found a fierce combatant. Carolina was also good with strategy and tactics. The other knights of her year frequently made fun of her or played cruel tricks at Caro’s expense. Kenneth refused to tolerate any such jokes or bullying. Caro had never had anyone her age treat her with the respect that Kenneth gave her. She kept that she was a Princess hidden for this reason. Caro felt at the time if she told Kenneth her true rank and title, Kenneth would start treating her like a girl instead of the fellow fighter he had been up until then.”

“But, the Hunt couldn’t last forever. There was to be a big banquet at DuBose Castle celebrating the success of the hunt and awards going to the best team. They had won. They beat every other team in the amount of creatures hunted, but also a special award for being the only team to able to out think and successfully hunt a Chimera. It was then they found out that Carolina was a Princess and that Kenneth was the Lord Earl. (That’s the Veldt’s equivalent of Crown Prince, little one) They laughed at the silliness of hiding their titles. Elias, myself, and Kenneth’s father looked at the two of them with interest. We would have to keep a watch over their budding friendship.”

“In time, the DuBose family frequently invited Carolina and Prince Stewart to the Veldt for further training. Then, one day Carolina saw one of the beauties of the Veldt flirting with Kenneth. Caro would never admit it, but she was so jealous she couldn’t see straight. Kenneth didn’t know or understand why she was so angry with him. She and Kenneth started to fight like cats and dogs. Kenneth wanted to talk seriously about marriage and Carolina wasn’t having any of that. Kenneth decided to try to woo her with various hunting and sporting competitions. Carolina always won anything when it came to physical activities. Kenneth got tired of Carolina’s aggressiveness, especially when he knew there was more to Caro than physical combat. He decided to simply ignore her and see how long that would last. It didn’t take long before she broke down his door and demanded to see Kenneth. They were married three months later. A few years later they were Crowned as Duke and Duchess of the Veldt. Kenneth broke with tradition and made Carolina his co-ruler, saying Caro was as trained to rule as much as he was. Kenneth also changed the ancient law stating that only male children could be the Duke of the Veldt. If his firstborn was a daughter, she would be heir. It didn’t happen that way, but still, I know Caro appreciated the thought.”

“Ahh! There you are,” came the voice of Edgar.

“Just keeping Rose occupied while you took care of some business,” said the elderly Angelo with a smile.

“I guessed as much. Thomas had asked that I tell you he has some business in South Figaro tonight. He will be back tomorrow after we get the castle moved back into Figaro Desert.”

“I’ll let his wife know,” nodded the old man. 

“Come Rose. Let’s climb to the top most battlement and witness the glory of Figaro in person,” smiled Edgar. 

“A glory that might have killed us if it were it not for the bravery of His Majesty, His Royal Highness, and Captain Celes,” said Angelo. 

On the top most battlement it was dusk. The gold of the desert was blended with the reds of sunset. It was glorious to behold.

“Is this the glory of Figaro?” asked Rose. 

Edgar chuckled. “Not quite, though the sunset will make it more glorious than normal.”

Edgar turned to the soldier positioned there. “Tell the engineer to dive now.”

“Dive?” asked Rose.

“Just you wait, youngster,” chuckled the Duke of South Figaro. 

Edgar picked up Rose. “Watch,” he whispered.

There was a siren. Then suddenly shutters began to seal all the windows. Special hatches closed on the lower battlements, sealing them. The shutter began to close on the upper windows systematically. 

“Into the Golden Ocean, fair Figaro dives! Bear witness to Figaro’s Glory!” shouted the elderly Angelo with a smile.

The castle began to shake as it began to burrow itself in the golden sand. For the rest of Rose’s life, she never forgot the beauty and strength of seeing Figaro Castle begin to dive into the golden sands of Figaro Desert.

Edgar smiled at Rose’s awe as they watched the castle dive into the sand. They quickly went back inside the castle as more shutters began to seal more windows. A few seconds after coming back in the castle, the battlement itself was sealed from the sands of the desert.

“That is the Glory of Figaro. How this castle uses specialized mechanics to allow the castle itself to dive into the sand in ways we are only just now beginning to use on ships,” said Edgar. 

“Yes. Never forget though, that there is sometimes danger. We almost died when a giant sandworm burrowed itself into the castles mechanics. Now we use special protections to keeps things out,” said Angelo. 

There was the whirring as other mechanics began to stir. Electrical lights began to flicker and turn on as the castle continued to burrow further into the sand.

“Now, I must go to the rest of my family, your Majesty,” said Angelo.

“Of course,” said Edgar.

Angelo bowed to them gracefully and left them. 

“Now, Rose. It will be a good two hours before we reach Kohlingen. Let’s eat and you can tell me about your day.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's amazing what changes had been made to the text and dialogue of FFVI as it went through translation. The Golden Ocean reference is a prime example of something I feel should have been left in the official translation. In the Japanese version when Figaro Castle dives into the desert to get away from Kefka after Edgar meets Terra, the Chancellor stands on the top battlement and calls "Into the Golden Ocean, brave Figaro dives! Let me show it to you!" In the US translation all he says is "No one can touch the people of Figaro!" It might have to do with memory limitations, but still, it's a nice bit of poetic language. Unfortunately, in the GBA and App versions they didn't put it back in. Son of a Submariner!
> 
> Thanks to Clyde Mandelin and Legends of Localization for showing this little bit of change that can happen in a translation.


	38. Sincere apologies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> My Apologies.

I am just putting out a quick update for this story since I have not updated in a while. I had a major windows failure on my computer and have been trying to recover my computer. The backup I had made didn't properly store all of my writing files. I have lost somewhere in the neighborhood of 750,000 finished words over multiple stories. A lot of it has been put out on this forum but some of it hasn't. I am NOT giving up on any of my stories though. It's just going to be a while before my next update since I now have some major rewrites to do. Rosie Edgar and Terra will be back in a few weeks while I re write the story. Love you guys and I will be back in a while.


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